Van driver plows through White House barricade; Secret Service arrests him

A vehicle/van struck a temporary security barricade near the White House on the morning of Wednesday, March 11, prompting a rapid law‑enforcement response.

People reported “A vehicle ran into a barricade near the White House on the morning of Wednesday, March 11.”

FOX 11 Los Angeles

WMAL similarly stated “A van drove through a security barricade near the White House on Wednesday morning, and the driver has been detained.”

The New York Post described the event as well, writing “A van driver was arrested early Wednesday after crashing his vehicle through a temporary security barricade near the White House, authorities said.”

The exact reported time and specific corner vary across outlets: People and WMAL quote a Metropolitan Police response at “approximately 6:37 a.m.,” while the New York Post cites a Secret Service time of “6:26 a.m. ET.”

The United States Secret Service led the investigation and uniformed officers detained the driver at the scene.

People published the agency’s statement: “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.”

New York Post

WMAL also reported that “the driver has been detained and is being questioned, according to the Secret Service.”

The New York Post noted the driver “was detained by uniformed officers” and that “The protective agency said charges were pending, but did not go into details.”

Authorities closed streets around the White House, deployed specialized teams, and reported no injuries after checking the vehicle.

“White House Entrances 'Temporarily Closed' After Vehicle Smashes Through Barricade, with Driver Detained The incident occurred on the morning of Wednesday, March 11 By Becca Longmire Becca Longmire Becca Longmire is a digital news writer-reporter at PEOPLE”

People

People reported the Secret Service and other teams “temporarily closed” streets and entrances while they conducted work, and noted “No injuries have been reported following the incident.”

WMAL listed affected routes, saying police “temporarily closed several streets and entrances surrounding the White House as authorities investigate, including 15th Street and E Street Northwest and H Street Northwest between 15th and 17th streets.”

The New York Post added that “the department’s bomb squad checked the van and declared it safe,” and later reported “All road closures had been lifted by 10 a.m. ET, according to the Secret Service.”

Officials have not released a motive or identified the driver, and outlets noted past similar incidents near the executive mansion.

People wrote “No further details regarding a possible motive and information about the driver have been released as of yet.”

FOX 11 Los Angeles

The New York Post also said the “driver, who was not immediately identified, was detained” and that “Cops were unable to give further details of the incident when questioned by a reporter.”

People placed the crash in context, adding: “The latest incident comes after a man was taken into custody in October after driving his car into a security gate outside the White House, PEOPLE previously reported,” and referenced an earlier May 2024 case in which “a man dying after crashing his car into a security barrier in May 2024.”

WMAL reiterated the rapid MPD response and advised commuters to avoid the area while the investigation continued.