WASHINGTON — A car mounted the curb and crashed into an informational sign near the White House on Monday, prompting police to order the driver to the ground as Secret Service agents moved journalists inside.
The vehicle drove onto the sidewalk just north of Lafayette Park, across from the White House. It stopped well short of the executive mansion’s gates, which are more than a block away.
Authorities had not immediately identified the driver or determined what led to the incident.
Uniformed Secret Service division officers placed the suspect in handcuffs and escorted him away. As he was led along Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House, he could be heard shouting, “Oh my God!”
The intersection’s design requires drivers to travel through a single cobblestone lane before turning left at a traffic signal, making it difficult to build up speed quickly.
The crash occurred in an area regularly crowded with pedestrians and people taking photos with the White House in the background. No injuries were immediately reported.
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President Trump was at the White House preparing for meetings at the time.
The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lafayette Park has historically been open to visitors, but tall anti-riot fencing currently cuts across the square following Trump’s recent renovations, including the installation of new sod.
The White House has long drawn people experiencing mental health crises, as well as individuals seeking to make dramatic public statements. During Trump’s first term, in 2019, two people set themselves on fire just over a month apart.
A lockdown of the White House grounds does not necessarily indicate a broader security threat.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
