Truck crashes near White House, driver arrested, Secret Service says

Authorities in Washington have arrested the driver of a van truck that crashed into security barriers in Lafayette Square, adjacent to the grounds of the White House, a US Secret Service spokesman said late Monday.

The truck was deemed safe by District of Columbia police, the Secret Service said, adding that charges would be filed by the U.S. Park Police with investigation support from the Secret Service.

“There were no injuries to members of the Secret Service or the White House, and the cause and circumstances of the accident are still under investigation,” said Anthony Guglielmi, chief communications officer. US Secret Service on Twitter.

“The driver may have intentionally hit the crash barriers,” Guglielmi said in a second tweet, which announced the truck was deemed safe.

Some roads and walkways around the park have been closed, the Secret Service said.

The nearby Hay Adams Hotel was evacuated at the request of the Secret Service, the Washington Post reported, citing a hotel official.

WUSA television showed live video of a box-type U-Haul truck stopped alongside a row of steel bollards, with uniformed law enforcement officers and a dog approaching the vehicle . A remote-controlled robot opened the back door of the truck, revealing a cart but no other obvious cargo.

After crashing, the driver hit the barriers a second time, WUSA reported, citing a witness report.

A Washington Fire Department spokesperson said a call came in at 9:40 p.m. local time (01:30 GMT) for what was described as an investigation into a suspicious package.

Washington Metro Police assisted other agencies at the scene, The Washington Post said, citing a police spokesperson.