A man faces several charges related to threatening the president Tuesday after authorities say he crashed a U-Haul truck into security barriers near the White House late Monday.
Sai Varshith Kandula, 19, of Chesterfield, Missouri, was charged with threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice president or family member; assault with a dangerous weapon; reckless operation of a motor vehicle; destruction of federal property; and trespassing, according to U.S. Park Police.
The U.S. Secret Service detained him shortly before 10 p.m. Monday after the truck collided with security barriers on the north side of Lafayette Square, said Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service chief of communications, in a Twitter statement late Monday. At the time he said the driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers.
There were no injuries or ongoing danger, Guglielmi said.
Meanwhile, a Nazi flag was seized by authorities at the scene of the crash, according to Reuters, which cited witnesses and its own photographer on the scene. Reuters published an image of a red Nazi flag with a swastika laid out on the floor by the U-Haul truck, along with other pieces of evidence the news agency said was seized by authorities.
Secret Service and Park Police have not confirmed whether the flag was found on scene.
Roadways and pedestrian walkways were temporarily closed as law enforcement investigated the crash.
