A Virginia man received a sentence of one year supervised release and 125 hours community service after igniting his vehicle on Capitol grounds, coinciding with the period when former President Jimmy Carter was being honored posthumously. Adrian J. Hinton, the 36-year-old Lorton resident, had previously entered a guilty plea on January 31, for the charge of destruction of government property, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As detailed by court documents and the U.S. Attorney's Office, on January 8, Hinton drove his car to Capitol grounds and parked it near the Ulysses S Grant memorial. Witnesses observed Hinton pouring an unidentified liquid, later determined to be a homemade napalm mixture, atop his car before setting it alight. The U.S. Capitol Police, with assistance from FBI and ATF personnel, responded to reports from bystanders, and bomb technicians secured the area.
No explosives or accelerants were found inside the vehicle, but matches, a bottle, and a knife were located nearby. Following his arrest, Hinton waived his rights and consented to an interview with law enforcement officials. "He had developed a plan to set his vehicle on fire near the U.S. Capitol to draw attention to his displeasure with the recent election results," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Hinton indicated he had researched how to create a napalm-like substance using household products.
The incident occurred while numerous elected officials were visiting the Capitol Rotunda, where President Carter was lying in state. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Capitol Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance, from the FBI Washington Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole spearheaded the prosecution, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
