US Secret Service Detains Driver Of Suspicious Vehicle Stopped Trying To Enter White House Grounds

The U.S. Secret Service stopped a suspicious vehicle and detained the driver for attempting to follow another car onto White House grounds.

The Secret Service stopped the car at a checkpoint around 4:45 a.m., forcing road closures along Pennsylvania Avenue as authorities arrived to examine the black Mercedes-Benz SUV.

Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police and bomb disposal were called to the scene. Several pieces of luggage reportedly were pulled from the car and dumped on the ground.

President Donald Trump was on White House grounds at the time of the incident.

Authorities began reopening roads around 7 a.m., including Pennsylvania Avenue. The Secret Service posted an update on the situation on Twitter around the same time.

An unauthorized vehicle attempted to gain entry to the White House complex by following another vehicle that was lawfully entering at an external complex checkpoint.

The vehicle was stopped and the individual was immediately taken into custody by Secret Service U.D. Officers. pic.twitter.com/ex406WNK87
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) November 21, 2019

Metropolitan Police spokesperson Karimah Bilal told reporters shortly after that no explosive or hazardous materials were found in the car. The driver was also taken into custody and has reportedly been charged with unlawful entry.

Further charges will be pending based on a full investigation into the incident.