Driver in custody after crashing into White House gates

WASHINGTON — A driver was in custody Monday after crashing a vehicle into an exterior gate of the White House complex, a spokesman for the Secret Service wrote on X.

"Shortly before 6p.m., a vehicle collided with an exterior gate on the White House complex," Anthony Guglielmi, a Secret Service spokesman wrote on X. "The driver has been taken into custody & we are investigating the cause & manner of the collision."

Guglielmi warned of possible traffic implications at the intersection of 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, which is the eastern side of the White House complex near the Treasury Building.

In a subsequent tweet after 7:30 p.m., Guglielmi said the vehicle had been cleared from the scene and that traffic closures would be lifted for the area. He added that the driver remains in custody as the investigation continues.

The White House fence has been upgraded in recent years, including making it taller. In 2021, the National Park Service built a 13-foot fence with wider, stronger posts to try to deter jumpers from climbing over it.