- Man arrested after crashing car into White House security barrier on Tuesday
- The vehicle was checked and deemed safe by Secret Service and Metropolitan Police officers
- Agencies released no details on the driver’s identity or motive for crashing into the security gate
A motorist was arrested after he “drove his vehicle” into a security gate outside the White House complex, authorities said. The incident took place around 10:37 pm on Tuesday when the man crashed into the security gate at the White House, located near the corner of 17th and E Streets, the US Secret Service said.
The agency said in its statement that the vehicle was deemed safe after checks by its officers and officials from Washington's Metropolitan Police Department. However, the driver was immediately arrested.
Authorities did not immediately provide any additional information about the crash, the driver's identity or any potential motivation.
Visuals from the crash outside the White House have gone viral on social media. Footage shows Secret Service officers checking the crashed car, measuring it and taking photographs of the vehicle.
US President Trump was in the White House at the time of the incident, the Secret Service said.
The site of the incident is southwest of the president's residential complex and closer to the headquarters of the American Red Cross.
The White House was not placed on lockdown, but the road leading to the gate was closed until the police towed the vehicle away, the Secret Service said.
This is not the first instance of a vehicle crash at the White House gates. Last year, in January and May, similar vehicle crashes were reported at the security gates.
But the incident came days after a suspicious hunting stand was discovered with a line of sight to the area where President Trump would have exited Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Florida, on Sunday.
