California man arrested for having machete and bayonet near DNC headquarters

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TCD) -- A San Diego man was arrested Monday after United States Capitol Police officers pulled him over and spotted a bayonet and machete in his car.

The Capitol Police released a statement saying Donald Craighead, 44, was taken into custody for possession of prohibited weapons.

According to the Capitol Police, a Special Operations Division officer was on patrol at midnight when he saw a Dodge Dakota pickup truck with a swastika and other white supremacist symbols on it. The vehicle was reportedly outside of Democratic National Committee headquarters and was pulled over on the 500 block of South Capitol Street SW.

Craighead’s car reportedly did not have a license plate but rather a photo of the American flag, Capitol Police said in their statement.

The officer who pulled him over reportedly found a bayonet and "multiple knives" — including a machete — inside the vehicle. Craighead said he was "on patrol" and reportedly started talking to the officer about white supremacist ideology and "other rhetoric pertaining to white supremacy."

Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said, "We applaud the officers' keen observation and the teamwork that resulted in this arrest."

According to CNN, a right-wing rally is scheduled for September 18 in Washington, D.C. Capitol Police said in their statement, "At this time, it is not clear if he was planning to attend any upcoming demonstrations or if he has ties to any previous cases in the area."

Craighead’s arrest comes about one month after Capitol Police arrested North Carolina resident Floyd Ray Roseberry on August 19. Roseberry reportedly told officers he had a bomb, which led to a lengthy standoff and the evacuation of buildings, including the Library of Congress.

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