Shane Jason Woods

WASHINGTON (WAND) - A central Illinois man accused of assault for crimes related to the U.S. Capitol breach has pleaded not guilty. 

Shane Jason Woods, 43, of Auburn is facing federal charges of assaulting a law enforcement officer, assault in special maritime and territorial jurisdiction and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, among other counts. Woods was part of a crowd of protesters who gathered on the lower west terrace on the northwest corner of the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutors said.

According to a release, a U.S. Capitol Police officer had been sprayed with bear mace, causing harm to her vision, and was tripped and pushed to the ground by Woods as she tried to go after the person who sprayed her. 

Woods is also accused of attacking a cameraman in the media staging area by running into and tackling him, causing the media member to drop their camera. Media people were forced to flee as people stormed past metal barricades on the Capitol grounds. Woods is accused of picking up and tossing some media equipment in the area. 

The documents regarding Woods' case can be viewed here.

A status conference for Woods has been set for Sept. 24, 2021 via videoconference.Â