Defendant obstructed police in the Capitol Crypt

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, to a felony offense related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Christopher Kuehne, 50, of Olathe, Kan., pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to a felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly. Kelly scheduled Kuehne to be sentenced on Feb. 23, 2024.

According to court documents, Kuehne, associated with the Kansas City chapter of the Proud Boys, made plans with other members of the group to attend a rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. Prior to his arrival, Kuehne sent a message to others in the group regarding a potential confrontation with Antifa and BLM, stating, “Be prepared not only to beat down but when you do action of violence so utterly massive that we send a message.”

Kuehne traveled to Arlington, Va., on Jan. 4, 2021, with other members of the Proud Boys chapter. On Jan. 6, Kuehne met with a larger group of Proud Boys at the Washington Monument. Kuehne, wearing a ballistic helmet and carrying protective gloves, then made his way to the U.S. Capitol, shouting, among other things, “Whose streets? Our streets!”

A four-car crash July 28, 2023, on U.S. Highway 75 near Beto Junction sent four people to the hospital with varying severity of injuries. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the accident happened about 2 p.m. last Friday at a location about one mile north of Interstate 35 on U.S. 75.

The report said Collin M. Dawdy, 21, of Park Hill, Kan., was northbound on U.S. 75 in a 2016 Nissan Rogue when the vehicle crossed the center line and hit three southbound vehicles.

Dawdy’s vehicle first sideswiped a 2016 F-150 Ford driven by Robert Griffin, 55, of Osage City, Kan., then collided head on with a 2019 Dodge Journey driven by Danyel Monaghan, 47, of Topeka, Kan. Dawdy’s vehicle bounded off of the Dodge Journey and then struck a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse driven by Crystal Foy, 47, Topeka, before coming to rest in the northbound lane.

Dawdy was reported to have serious injuries and was transported to Stormont Vail Hospital, Topeka. Other drivers or occupants with injuries included Griffin, who reported pain and was transported to the hospital; Monaghan, transported with suspected minor injuries, and a passenger in his vehicle, Sarah Collins, 31, Holton, Kan., had suspected injuries, (KHP did not report the conditions of five children in the car); and Foy, who was transported with suspected minor injuries; an adult passenger in Foy’s vehicle was uninjured and the conditions of two children in the car were not reported.