Biden safe after car collides with motorcade

[December 18, 2023]  WILMINGTON, DELAWARE (Reuters) -President Joe Biden was safe on Sunday night after a car collided with a motorcade SUV that was part of the president's security detail, a Reuters witness said. 

Biden and First Lady Jill Biden had just left his campaign headquarters when the collision occurred. Jill Biden was also safe following the incident, the witness said.

Members of the United States Secret Service react to a vehicle crashing into a Secret Service SUV that was blocking the street as U.S. President Joe Biden exited his campaign headquarters, in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. December 17, 2023. REUTERS/Nathan Howard

The Bidens had emerged from the Biden-Harris 2024 headquarters in rainy downtown Wilmington at 8:07 p.m. (0107 GMT) after having a meal with members of his re-election team at the time of the incident, according to the White House press pool report.

Moments after Biden responded to a question from a reporter a silver sedan with Delaware license plates hit what seemed to be a motorcade SUV shielding the motorcade at the intersection across from the entrance of the campaign headquarters, the pool report stated.

Television footage showed secret service agents escorting Biden to his car after the impact.

The silver sedan, which sustained damage to its bumper, was quickly surrounded by security officers after it stopped. Agents cornered the car and pulled weapons on the driver, who held his hands up.

The Bidens returned safely to their home in Wilmington following the incident, the witness said.

(Reporting by Steve Holland in Wilmington, Delaware; additional reporting by Costas Pitas; Writing by John Kruzel; Editing by Sandra Maler and Stephen Coates)

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