Sai Varshith Kandula of Chesterfield, Missouri, is the U-Haul driver accused of crashing into a barrier outside of Lafayette Park, near the White House, on May 22, 2023, according to a news release from the U.S. Park Police.
“On May 22 at approximately 9:40 p.m., United States Park Police and United States Secret Service Uniform Division officers responded to the 1600 block of H Street NW for a truck that the preliminary investigation indicates intentionally crashed into the bollards on the outside of Lafayette Park,” the release said.
According to NBC News, prosecutors said in court that Kandula is not a U.S. citizen. “Kandula does hold a green card for lawful, permanent U.S. residency,” the network reported, adding that he was part of an Indian American community.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Video Showed the U-Haul Truck, Which Police Say Was Driven by Sai Varshith Kandula, at the Scene
UPDATE Roadway being reopened – here’s the UHaul truck – the driver was detained after crashing into the fencing outside the #WhiteHouse
Video showed the U-Haul truck at the scene near the White House.
According to the Park Police, Kandula is 19 years old and from Chesterfield, Missouri.
“The driver of the vehicle was identified as Sai Varshith Kandula, 19, of Chesterfield, Missouri,” the release says.
ABC News reported, through sources, that authorities are “looking at a mental health component to the investigation.”
2. Sai Varshith Kandula Had a Nazi Flag & Duct Tape in the U-Haul, Reports Say
JUST IN: the driver of the #Uhaul that tried to crash through #Lafayette Park is charged with “Threaten to kill/ kidnap/ inflict harm on a President/ VP / family member”. We saw a Nazi flag, duct tape and a notebook with pages full of writing retrieved from the truck. @fox5dc
Fox5 DC journalist Melanie Alnwick tweeted that reporters at the scene “saw a Nazi flag, duct tape and a notebook with pages full of writing retrieved from the truck.”
According to ABC News, Kandula is accused of traveling “from St. Louis to Dulles International Airport where he rented a U-Haul truck and drove to the White House,” where he “exited the vehicle and began waving a flag with what authorities say appeared to be a swastika on it.”
CNN reported, “Among the items that appear to be from the truck are a Nazi flag, a black backpack and a roll of duct tape. The cargo area of the moving truck appeared empty.”
3. Sai Varshith Kandula Is a 2022 Graduate of Marquette High School in Missouri Who Was Pursuing a Career in ‘Data Analytics’
NEW: Investigators pulled what appears to be a Nazi flag out of the U-Haul, but they haven’t provided any further details.
Here’s what we know: t.co/cXt81Ji2NA
According to Fox5 DC, Kandula “graduated early from Marquette High School in Chesterfield in January 2022.”
A LinkedIn page for Sai Kandula Varshith of Chesterfield, which says he graduated from Marquette High School in May 2022, says,
hi my name is sai, my career pursuit is dedicated in the field of data analytics. I am currently skilled in python, and java as my primary sources of coding languages. I am currently certified in google, and IBM as a data analyst, and have completed courses which certify my skills in that field. I currently am in a pursuit of job regarding the field of data analytics, and am hoping to working with companies to share my knowledge, and provide value in regards to their work given to me. I currently do not have any job experience, since this is why I am actively searching for jobs in order for me to apply my skills when I do get a job in order to build experience in a company, although I learned, and taken multiple credential courses about programming, and coding languages for about 5 years which is the kind of experience I would say I have had besides a job experience.
4. Sai Varshith Kandula Was Accused of Threatening to Kill or Kidnap the President & Vice President
Video of the Uhaul crashing into barriers near the White House. No one was hurt.
John Passantino, deputy managing editor for CNN, tweeted, “The man who crashed a U-Haul truck that carried a Nazi flag into a White House security barrier made threatening comments regarding the WH at the scene, including that he wanted to kidnap and harm President Biden, law enforcement sources told CNN.”
ABC News reported that Kandula “told law enforcement that he wanted to seize power of the government and kill the president.”
According to the Park Police news release, Kandula “was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, threatening to kill / kidnap / inflict harm on a president, vice president, or family member, destruction of federal property, and trespassing.”
The release adds: “No further information is available at this time.”
5. The U.S. Secret Service Spokesman Says Sai Varshith Kandula ‘May Have Intentionally Struck the Security Barriers’
The truck has been deemed safe by @DCPoliceDept & preliminary investigation reveals the driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square. Charges will be filed by the United States Park Police with investigative support from the #SecretService.
Anthony Guglielmi, spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, tweeted, “The truck has been deemed safe by @DCPoliceDept & preliminary investigation reveals the driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square. Charges will be filed by the United States Park Police with investigative support from the #SecretService.”
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