Asheville police: January 6 defendant punched woman in throat in bar; feds: revoke bond

ASHEVILLE - A Jan. 6 defendant punched a woman in the throat at a local bar, according to police, something that should lead to the revocation of his bond, federal prosecutors said.

Alan St. Onge, 36, of Brevard, has been out on bond following his June 16 arrest on charges of participating in the 2021 Capitol insurrection. But Assistant U.S. Attorneys in a Dec. 6 filing now say he should be jailed "pending resolution of his case." St. Onge pleaded not guilty to the charges Aug. 21.

That is because St. Onge was arrested Nov. 23 at an Asheville bar on charges of assault on a female, simple assault and driving while impaired, the attorneys said.

Reached Dec. 7, St. Onge's attorney, Renae Alt-Summers of Columbia, South Carolina, said she intended to file a response to the bond revocation motion Dec. 8. U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols for the District of Columbia will then making a ruling.

According to the bond revocation motion, a person referred to by police as "Victim-1" said she was at the 27 Club on Patton Avenue downtown with "Victim-2," a male, "when she observed the defendant harassing another woman in the bar."

The Citizen Times reached out to 27 Club Owners.

When the woman denied St. Onge's advances he walked up to Victim-1 and Victim-2 and asked the former to bet on "who would (expletive) her first," the prosecutors said.

Victim-1 said St. Onge needed to "stop harassing the woman," prosecutors said.

"The defendant then picked up an ashtray and threw it at Victim-1, striking her in the chest. Victim-1 threw a cup of water at the defendant, who then punched Victim-1 in the throat, causing scratch marks, bleeding and bruising to her throat. Victim-2 then intervened and told the defendant to leave Victim-1 alone. The defendant pushed Victim-2 to the ground and then began to kick him and stomp on his chest."

A person noted as "Witness-1" called the police and told St. Onge that "if you believe that you are in the right, you’ll wait for the police.”

Witnesses say St. Onge fled in his vehicle and was pulled over by police and arrested for driving under the influence. He was also charged with two moving violations, failing to stop at a flashing light and driving left of center.

At the club, police were able to identify St. Onge because before leaving the bar he paid his tab with a credit card with his name and presented an ID, prosecutors said.

St. Onge is facing four charges related to what prosecutors say was his participation in the Capitol insurrection. He was indicted July 19 on the felony and three misdemeanors.

Prosecutors say St. Onge "turned his back to a metal barricade and, using the considerable mass of his body, pushed it against the police on the other side who were resisting his efforts and trying to hold the police line."

Also currently facing charges related to the Capitol riot is Nathan Baer of Starnes Cove, near Asheville.

Three men from WNC have been convicted for actions on and near Jan. 6.

Thomas Gronek of Asheville, was arrested Jan. 5, 2021, in Washington in a bus spray painted "Hippies 4 Trump" and pleaded guilty to violating a D.C. gun law of carrying a rifle outside his home. He was sentenced to time served and a $50 fine.

Cleveland Grover Meredith of Hayesville, threatened to shoot House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the head after arriving in Washington Jan. 7, 2021, with an assault rifle and 2,500 rounds of ammunition. He was sentenced to more than two years in prison.

Lewis Easton Cantwell of Waynesville, pleaded guilty to obstructing officers during the Jan. 6 attack and was sentenced to five months in prison.

The most prominent people with links to WNC and Jan. 6 are Donald Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows, who was charged with conspiring to flip the Georgia presidential election results. Ex-Trump attorney and former Asheville and Biltmore Forest resident Sidney Powell pleaded guilty to her role in that effort. She is also understood to be an unnamed co-conspirator in a federal election interference case.

Former WNC Congressman Madison Cawthorn delivered a fiery speech to Trump supporters before the attack. A lawsuit said he should be denied a spot on the ballot because he was an insurrectionist but the case dropped when he lost the Republican primary.

More: AG: Mark Meadows won't face voter fraud charges in North Carolina

WNC woman worked with antigovernment website founder to issue fake arrest writs; convicted

Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times. 

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville police: January 6 defendant punched woman in throat in bar