Streets near the White House were shut down after a van crashed into nearby barricades in the early hours of Wednesday.
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According to The Sun, the vehicle crashed into temporary security gates near Madison and H streets around 6:30 a.m. The incident prompted the US Secret Service to spring into action. The driver was quickly taken into custody by Secret Service agents.
A Secret Service spokesperson confirmed the news, stating that the van’s driver “is currently being interviewed” and criminal charges are pending.
“The Metropolitan Police Department’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team responded and subsequently cleared the vehicle, declaring the scene safe,” the spokesperson stated.
The Metropolitan Police Department assisted in the situation.
“On Wednesday, at approximately 6:37 a.m., the Metropolitan Police Department responded to the 1600 block of H Street NW,” the statement reads. “To assist the United States Secret Service with a suspicious vehicle,” law enforcement officials shared in a statement.
The Secret Service also told PEOPLE, “Secret Service police officers with the Uniformed Division are looking into a suspicious vehicle. The driver of the car has been detained and is being questioned. Various entrances and the streets are temporarily closed as teams conduct their work.”
The Secret Service is leading the investigation. There were no injuries reported. It was also not immediately clear what led to the crash.
President Trump was at the White House when the incident occurred. However, no threats were made against him.
The closed streets have since reopened.
A Car Crashed Into Security Checkpoint Near White House Just Months Before the Van Incident
The barricade situation occurred nearly six months after a vehicle crashed into a security checkpoint near the White House.
“An individual drove his vehicle into the Secret Service vehicle gate located at 17th and E St, NW, DC,” the Secret Service shared in a statement. “The individual was immediately arrested by US Secret Service Uniformed Division officers, and the vehicle was assessed by Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department and deemed safe.”
Other reports also revealed that the driver of the vehicle was taken to a nearby Washington, D.C., hospital. They were given a mental health assessment.