Vehicle Crashes into White House Gate, Driver Arrested
A vehicle crashed into an exterior gate of the White House on Monday night, leading to the arrest of the driver, according to a statement from Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. The incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. local time, and the vehicle was cleared by the authorities less than two hours later.
President Joe Biden was not present at the White House during the time of the crash. He was in South Carolina for a campaign event earlier on Monday and was on his way to Texas that evening.
The crash impacted traffic in the vicinity of 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, on the eastern side of the White House complex near the Treasury Building. The area was temporarily closed but was reopened after the vehicle was cleared.
The identity of the driver has not been released, and it remains unclear if any charges will be filed. Law enforcement officers briefed on the incident informed CBS News that the driver is believed to be a male with mental health challenges. He was undergoing evaluation after being taken into custody, with officers confirming that there was no ongoing threat.
Photographs from the scene showed a silver or gray Cadillac Escalade with Virginia license plates involved in the incident.
This is not the first time a vehicle has crashed into security barriers at the White House. In May, a U-Haul truck driver collided with barriers around Lafayette Square across from the White House. The driver, who was 19 years old, had a Nazi flag in his possession at the time of his arrest, court documents revealed.
In 2019, a driver attempted to enter the White House complex by following an official vehicle through a gate. This incident, among others involving intruders and fence-jumpers, prompted the Secret Service to initiate the construction of a higher security fence. Completed in 2019, the new fence stands at 13 feet and 1 inch, significantly taller than the previous 6-foot barrier, and features wider and stronger pickets for enhanced security.
