Incident Details
On Sunday night, a 46-year-old Wilmington man, suspected of being intoxicated, accidentally collided with a parked SUV that was part of the security detail for President Joe Biden’s motorcade. The incident occurred as President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were leaving his campaign headquarters. Thankfully, both the Bidens were unharmed during the commotion.
Police and Secret Service Response
The crash happened as Biden was walking from his campaign office to his waiting armored vehicle, with the sedan hitting a U.S. Secret Service SUV stationed to block off the area. Secret Service agents quickly surrounded the driver’s car with their weapons drawn and ordered him to surrender. The Wilmington police have since charged the driver with drunk and inattentive driving.
Impact on the President’s Schedule
The crash, which caused a loud noise and visible damage, briefly startled President Biden, who was quickly escorted into his vehicle by his security detail. Despite the disruption, the incident did not affect the president’s schedule, and he and the First Lady were safely transported home. According to Steve Kopek, a U.S. Secret Service spokesman, the situation was swiftly managed, and the driver was deemed not to pose a serious threat to the president.