Truck driver arrested after crashing into barrier near White House

The Secret Service of USA said he detained the driver of a rental truck that crashed into security barriers near the White House on Monday night, perhaps intentionally, but that there were no injuries and no continuing danger.

US Park Police arrested a man after a U-Haul truck crashed near the White House on Monday night, prompting the evacuation of the nearby Hay-Adams hotel.

The man, whom police did not publicly identify, was charged with threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on the… pic.twitter.com/G8AU2DJF0Q

—The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 23, 2023

READ ALSO: Government welcomes Fair Russia proposal to nominate Putin in 2024 elections

a witness of Reuters said investigators found a Nazi swastika flag that appeared to have come from inside the truck, which crashed into the barriers in lafayette squareadjacent to the grounds of the White House.

Agents recovered the flag and plastic evidence bags that had been placed on the sidewalk after the crash and placed them in the back of the vehicle. uhaul, said a Reuters photographer.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that the driver may have intentionally hit the security barriers in lafayette squarehe said on Twitter. Anthony Guglielmihead of communications for the Secret Service.

The US Park Police would press charges with investigative support from the Secret Service, he added.

A view of a rental truck that crashed into security barriers in Lafayette Park in front of the White House, as the US Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies investigate the incident, in Washington, USA. USA, May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Nathan Howard

Television WUSA showed a video of a truck u haul Box guy stopped next to a row of steel bollards, with uniformed law enforcement officers and a dog approaching the vehicle. A remote-controlled robot opened the truck’s rear door, revealing a dolly but no other obvious cargo.

Chris Zaboji, a witness to the accident, posted a short video on social media showing the truck crashing into the barricades. The video was verified by Reuters. After crashing once, the driver hit the barriers a second time, he said.

Zaboji25, an airline pilot living in Washingtonsaid he had just finished jogging in the National Mall He was walking home when he heard a loud bang.

KNOW MORE: Russia denounces several drone attacks in the Belgorod region

“I looked back and saw that the truck of u haul he had run into the barricade. I backed up behind a guy in a golf cart and recorded the video on my phone. After seeing that she rammed herself again, she didn’t want to be anywhere.” near the truck and left”Zaboji said.

A previous tweet from guglielmi from the Secret Service said that no one from the White House or the Secret Service was injured.

The exact location of the president Joe Biden at that time it was not clear. She met with the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, kevin mccarthyin the White House Monday night.

The US Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies investigate a rented truck that crashed into security barriers in Lafayette Park in front of the White House in Washington, US, on May 23. 2023. REUTERS/Nathan Howard

The nearby hotel hay adams was evacuated at the request of the Secret Service, the Washington Post reported, citing a hotel official, while the Secret Service said some roads and pedestrian paths around the park were closed.

A spokesman for the Fire Department of Washington It said it received a call at 9:40 pm (01:40 GMT) for what was described as an investigation of a suspicious package.

There was soon a major police and public safety response, before investigators determined that the contents of the truckmostly empty, was harmless.

Source: Elcomercio