U-Haul With Nazi Flag Crashes Into Barriers Near White House

A man has been charged with threatening the president after a U-Haul truck crashed into security barriers across the street from the White House late Monday. Investigators believe the driver intentionally struck the barriers on the north side of Lafayette Square just before 10pm. A witness tells NBC Washington that he initially thought the driver accidentally struck the barriers, but then watched as the vehicle backed up and rammed into them a second time. The man was then arrested. "There were no injuries to any Secret Service or White House personnel and the cause and manner of the crash remain under investigation," a Secret Service rep said, per CBS News.

However, CBS spoke to a law enforcement source who said the driver made threats referring to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. A bomb-squad robot was later seen searching the vehicle, which left tire marks on a curb near a series of metal poles around the park. There were no weapons or explosives, though investigators did find a Nazi flag in the vehicle's cab, per NBC. The driver—a US citizen who did not appear on any watch lists—is now charged with assault with a dangerous weapon; reckless operation of a motor vehicle; threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice president, or family member; destruction of federal property; and trespassing, per CBS. (More White House stories.)