Texan who hit officer in head with skateboard during Jan. 6 Capitol riot pleads guilty

HOUSTON — A father and son from Texas pleaded guilty Thursday to assaulting law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Editor's note: The video above originally aired in 2021. 

Jason Douglas Owens, 50, and his son, Grady Douglas Owens, 22, both from Blanco, Texas, entered guilty pleas to charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding a law enforcement officer. 

According to court documents, the two illegally entered the Capitol grounds and were in the west lawn area when a group of officers walked through the crowd. Grady Owens struck one of them in the head with a skateboard. 

That led to a fight between the officers and rioters and more officers were assaulted. 

Court documents say Jason Owens shoved one officer hard enough to make his head snap back. When he and his son tried to push their way into the East Rotunda doors, Jason Owens assaulted another officer and tried to grab his baton.

On Jan. 6, Grady Owens made several video recordings of his time in the Capitol and made statements such as, “We will not concede,” and “You can’t stop us.”

Jason Owens was arrested on April 16, 2021, in Austin, Texas, and Grady Owens was arrested on April 1, 2021, in Winter Park, Florida where he was attending college.

They are scheduled to be sentenced in February and could get up to eight years in prison. 

Grady Owens also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and he could get an additional six months in prison for that. 

In the 22 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 900 people have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol. More than 275 of them were charged with assaulting law enforcement officers. 

The investigation continues. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.