Collision occurred as first lady wished “Happy Holidays” to journalists at Delaware campaign headquarters
- Armed agents quickly drew their weapons on driver.
- Sedan tried to continue into closed-off intersection.
- President and first lady were unharmed in incident.
United States President Joe Biden was escorted away by Secret Service officials following a car crash following a lunch with staff on Sunday night, Daily Mail reported.
Secret Service spokesperson Steve Kopek told CNN in a statement: “Today, at approximately 8:09 p.m., a Secret Service vehicle securing the President’s motorcade route was struck by another vehicle in Wilmington, DE.”
The president and first lady, Jill Biden, were leaving his campaign headquarters when the car crashed into the motorcade.
Biden appeared surprised as he looked over a silver copper sedan that hit the black SUV that was part of the motorcade at an intersection.
Armed agents were quick to draw weapons on the driver, who had his hands raised inside the car right after the crash.
“There was no protective interest associated with this event and the President’s motorcade departed without incident,” Kopek said, which means that the crash was not intentional. It had been raining heavily in Wilmington.
Meanwhile, the name of the driver has not been released.
The first lady was wishing “Happy Holidays” to journalists at the campaign headquarters when the car collided with the motorcade, producing a loud bang and leaving the president startled.
The couple remained unharmed in the incident.
The sedan attempted to enter a closed intersection, but Secret Service agents surrounded it with weapons and instructed the driver to raise his hands.
The driver quickly complied, while nearby reporters were escorted away.
“They’re evacuating, you guys gotta go,” a staffer told journalists as security personnel secured the area.
The president was promptly taken to his waiting vehicle with his wife, and his schedule was unaffected by the incident. The Secret Service did not immediately comment on it.