WILMINGTON, Del. – A driver was arrested after crashing into President Joe Biden’s motorcade Sunday evening as he was preparing to depart from his campaign headquarters, according to reports.
About 8 p.m. a crashing sound could be heard as Biden, 81, was speaking to reporters outside his campaign headquarter in Wilmington, Delaware. The loud bang surprised the President and spurred Secret Service agents into action, according to the White House press pool, the New York Post reported.
Biden was escorted to his vehicle, where first lady Jill Biden was waiting for him. They were quickly removed from the scene as the investigation unfolded.
The driver of a silver sedan who plowed into an SUV that was blocking an intersection as part of the presidential motorcade was identified as 46-year-old James Cooper, of Wilmington.
Officials said the collision did not appear to be intentional, with Cooper likely unaware that it was the President’s motorcade that he ran into, CNN reported.
Cooper was subsequently arrested and charged with DUI as well as inattentive driving, according to the Wilmington Police Department.
An SUV in President Biden's motorcade was hit by a vehicle as he was leaving his campaign headquarters in Delaware tonight.
Secret service agents surrounded the car with guns drawn as Biden was ushered into his vehicle.
You can hear the crash about 9 seconds in… pic.twitter.com/WOd3PF48xI
— Max Lewis (@MaxLewisTV) December 18, 2023
Following his arrest and booking, Cooper was released from custody and given a summons to appear in court at a later date.
