Driver in Custody After Crashing Into Gate Near the White House

A driver crashed into an exterior gate near the White House on Monday evening. The Secret Service confirmed that the driver was taken into custody and stated that they are investigating whether the crash was intentional. President Biden was not at the White House during the incident. The vehicle, a gray sport utility vehicle with a Virginia license plate, was stopped at a security checkpoint. There was no visible damage, and the back of the car was shown in images from the scene. The Washington fire department responded to the incident and later cleared the scene. The surrounding streets that were closed to traffic will be reopened. The White House has been fortified in recent years in response to security breaches. Previously, individuals had jumped over its perimeter fences. The Secret Service has been working on upgrading the fences to double their height. In May, a man crashed a rental truck into security barriers near the White House. The incident resulted in no injuries, but the individual expressed admiration for Hitler and had voiced plans to harm President Biden. In December, a drunk driver crashed into Mr. Biden’s motorcade in Delaware but caused no injuries. There have been two deadly crashes near Capitol Hill in recent years, including one after the January 6, 2021 riot and another in August 2022.