Man who drove on sidewalk near US Capitol arrested on reckless driving charge

A man is in custody after he drove a car on the sidewalk near the U.S. Capitol in D.C.

U.S. Capitol Police said it happened just before 10 a.m. Wednesday. According to police, the driver was a 26-year-old man from Georgia who was a telecommunications employee going to perform work in the area.

The man drove onto the sidewalk along Maryland Avenue NW and parked in the grass near Constitution Avenue and Third Street NW, police said in a news release.

Police took a man into custody on a charge of reckless driving. They determined the vehicle was safe.

Nearby roads were closed during the investigation and drivers and pedestrians were told to avoid the area.

“Driving on the sidewalk is never a good idea — especially anywhere near the U.S. Capitol Building,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said in a news release. “I am proud of our officers for their quick reaction. We have already been ramping up security, as planned, ahead of a busy month at the U.S. Capitol.”

The incident comes just a day after a man plowed through a crowd in New Orleans, killing more than a dozen people. D.C. Police and Metro Transit Police released statements promising heightened security around the District out of an abundance of caution following the New Year’s Day rampage.

D.C. officials said there was no known threat in the District, but that they would post more officers around the city.

In the next three weeks, multiple major events, such as the inauguration, will take place, in which D.C. officials have already promised heightened security measures and police presence.

WTOP’s Ciara Wells contributed to this report.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.