Teen charged with deliberately crashing U-Haul truck into guardrail in park near White House

WASHINGTON — Police have arrested a Missouri man who they believe intentionally crashed a U-Haul truck into a security fence in a park across from the White House.

The truck driver slammed into the barrier near the north side of Lafayette Square around 10 p.m. Monday, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. He was identified as a 19-year-old from Chesterfield, a suburb of St. Louis.

No one was injured in the accident.

Secret Service and Metropolitan Police Department agents searched the truck after the crash. Video released by WUSA-TV shows a police officer at the scene picking up and inventorying several pieces of evidence from the truck, including a Nazi flag.

Based on a preliminary investigation, investigators believe the driver “may have intentionally hit the Lafayette Square security barriers,” Guglielmi said. Authorities did not provide any further details on the possible motive.

US Parks Police say the man was arrested on multiple counts, including threatening to kill, kidnap or harm a president, vice president or their family member ; assault with a dangerous weapon; dangerous driving; destruction of federal property; and intrusion.

Lafayette Square, which offers perhaps the best view of the White House available to the public, has long been one of the most important protest locations in the country. The park was closed for nearly a year after federal authorities fenced off the area at the height of nationwide protests against police following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but it reopened in May 2021.

U-Haul is a moving truck, trailer and self-storage rental company based in Phoenix.