Calay News
On Monday night, a 19-year-old man was arrested near the White House after intentionally crashing a truck into protective bollards in Lafayette Park, adjacent to the presidential residence. The individual has been charged with multiple offenses, including assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless driving, threatening to kill, kidnap, or harm a president, destruction of federal property, and trespassing, according to the National Park Service.
The incident occurred around 9:40 p.m. local time and prompted a response from park police and Secret Service agents. According to the preliminary investigation, the driver, identified as 19-year-old Sai Varshith Kandula, intentionally crashed a rental truck into bollards in Lafayette Park. Fortunately, no injuries to Secret Service personnel or White House residents were reported.
The truck involved in the incident belongs to U-Haul, a truck rental company based in Phoenix, Arizona. Authorities conducted an inspection of the vehicle after the accident, and evidence, including a Nazi flag, was found and collected by a police officer at the scene, as shown in a video posted by WUSA-TV. However, no additional details on the possible motive behind the incident have been provided.
By the following morning, an increased police presence was still observed around the White House, and the area of the accident remained closed to traffic. Lafayette Square is a popular spot for tourists wishing to view the White House from the outside, although access for vehicles is restricted and the area of the crash is located away from the presidential residence. Lafayette Square has historically been a prominent location for demonstrations of various magnitudes in the country. The park was closed for nearly a year due to nationwide protests over policing following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but reopened in May 2021.
