The incident occurred shortly before 10 a.m. on Monday, November 9, at Lafayette Park, directly opposite the White House, when the vehicle mounted the pavement and struck a sign near the northern end of the park.
Secret Service officers and National Guard personnel quickly responded to the scene and arrested two individuals following the incident, Fox News reported.
According to eyewitness accounts, the driver got out of the vehicle and engaged in a physical altercation with Secret Service agents and National Guard personnel.
President Donald Trump was at the White House at the time of the incident. Following the development, the White House was briefly placed on lockdown, while members of the press were ordered indoors and surrounding roads were closed to traffic.
In a statement, a Secret Service spokesperson confirmed the arrests, saying the driver was combative during the encounter.
“The driver was combative with law enforcement, but was quickly placed under arrest,” the spokesperson said.
“At around the same time, a second individual jumped a barricade near the northwest corner of Lafayette Park. That individual was also quickly placed under arrest.”
Authorities have yet to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash or determine the driver’s motive. The identities of the individuals arrested have also not been released.
