A driver was arrested Monday after barreling into an exterior gate of the White House, a Secret Service spokesman said.
No one was hurt, though a stretch of adjacent roadway was closed for about an hour.
“Shortly before 6 p.m., a vehicle collided with an exterior gate on the White House complex,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said on X. “The driver has been taken into custody & we are investigating the cause & manner of the collision.”
Authorities were questioning the driver, and it was immediately clear “if it was intentional or accidental,” Guglielmi told The Washington Post.
The intersection in question is on the eastern side of the White House complex and is near the Treasury Building, NBC News noted. Both directions of 15th St. were closed between Constitution Ave. and G St. until about 7:15 p.m., The Washington Post reported.
A few hours later, Guglielmi provided an update saying the incident was largely over.
“The vehicle has been cleared by Washington DC Police Department, and traffic closures will be lifted,” he stated. “Driver remains in custody and our investigation continues.”
Guglielmi did not identify the person who was arrested.