Native American Who Confronted High School Students Has Violent Criminal Record, Escaped From Jail

In this Feb. 22, 2017, file photo, Nathan Phillips, center with glasses, and other Dakota Access Pipeline protesters march in North Dakota. Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP, File

The Native American activist who approached a group of teenagers in Washington on Jan. 18, with video of the incident going viral, has a violent criminal record that includes a prison escape.

Nathan Phillips, whose given name is Nathaniel R. Stanard, was charged on May 8, 1974, with assault and escape from prison, according to the Lincoln Journal Star.