On Sunday evening, a significant disturbance unfolded when an inebriated driver collided with the President’s motorcade.
The incident transpired around 8:00 p.m. while the President was in the process of departing from his campaign headquarters in Delaware. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries resulting from the collision.
Promptly reacting to the impact, the President’s security detail swiftly guided him into his awaiting vehicle, where his wife was already present, and expedited their departure from the scene.
— President Elect LickMaster (@LickMaster45) December 18, 2023
Secret Service Agents swiftly encircled James Cooper’s vehicle and took him into custody.
According to authorities, James Cooper, 46, was apprehended and charged with DUI after his sedan collided with a Secret Service SUV at an intersection that was blocked as the President’s motorcade passed through Wilmington.
In addition to the DUI charge, Cooper faces a charge of “inattentive driving,” as reported by the New York Post.
CNN reported that the incident seems to be accidental, with Cooper allegedly unaware of the President’s presence in the vicinity. The Secret Service agents’ quick response ensured the safety of the President and minimized the potential risks associated with the collision.
An SUV in President Biden's motorcade was hit by a vehicle as he was leaving his campaign headquarters in Delaware tonight.
— Max Lewis (@MaxLewisTV) December 18, 2023
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
According to The Post, Cooper has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear for a court hearing “at a later date.”
This incident on Sunday is not the inaugural occurrence of a mishap involving a vehicle in President Biden’s motorcade. In 2020, during President-elect Joe Biden’s motorcade, a collision occurred with a moving car, resulting in minor injuries to a 77-year-old woman and a police officer. The recurrence of such incidents underscores the challenges and potential risks associated with the logistics of high-profile motorcades.
President-elect Joe Biden's motorcade was involved in a motor vehicle crash in the #Rockland area yesterday afternoon.https://t.co/m84tTXCu2i via @delawareonline
— Lawrance S. Kimmel (@LarryKimmelEsq) December 8, 2020