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| Secret Service: Motorist who followed motorcade onto White House grounds made a mistake | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The man arrested Tuesday afternoon when he followed the Obama daughters’ motorcade made a mistake and was simply confused about D.C. roads, the U.S. Secret Service confirmed Wednesday. | The man arrested Tuesday afternoon when he followed the Obama daughters’ motorcade made a mistake and was simply confused about D.C. roads, the U.S. Secret Service confirmed Wednesday. |
| An Internal Revenue Service computer worker, the man does not come to downtown Washington often and did not realize he was trailing a Secret Service motorcade. | An Internal Revenue Service computer worker, the man does not come to downtown Washington often and did not realize he was trailing a Secret Service motorcade. |
| “He was at a function downtown with colleagues, and said he was just checked out mentally and confused,” said one official familiar with the incident. “It seems to be bad luck on his part. “ | “He was at a function downtown with colleagues, and said he was just checked out mentally and confused,” said one official familiar with the incident. “It seems to be bad luck on his part. “ |
| The man, Mathew E. Goldstein, is charged with unlawful entry, a misdemeanor, and is scheduled to appear in D.C. Superior Court Wednesday afternoon. | The man, Mathew E. Goldstein, is charged with unlawful entry, a misdemeanor, and is scheduled to appear in D.C. Superior Court Wednesday afternoon. |
| Charging documents provided fresh details about how Goldstein was able to drive through the outer perimeter checkpoint of the White House at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. | |
| As the motorcade turned left into the gate from 17th Street, a uniformed police officer observed a gray Honda with Maryland tags following at a distance of less than five feet, according to the court filing. | |
| The Honda continued through the gate at such a close distance that the metal security bollards could not be raised in time to block the car. Goldstein proceeded beyond a ‘Do Not Enter’ sign and two rows of large metal bollards, according to the documents. | |
| Foot patrol officers ran and stopped the Honda by stepping in front of the vehicle as it neared the intersection of Jackson Place, NW and Pennsylvania Ave. The officers removed Goldstein from the car. He was arrested, and his car was towed to lot in Southwest for “safe keeping,” according to the documents. | |
| The White House was locked down for more than an hour after the incident began. | |
| It is not uncommon for a presidential motorcade to be inadvertently breached when the president travels outside of the District, and it happens dozens of times a year, according to a former agent. | It is not uncommon for a presidential motorcade to be inadvertently breached when the president travels outside of the District, and it happens dozens of times a year, according to a former agent. |
| The intrusion happens when checkpoints are unmanned prematurely and cars enter the lengthy motorcade, which can have substantial gaps between the more than 20 vehicles. The overwhelming majority of breaches are considered mistakes. | The intrusion happens when checkpoints are unmanned prematurely and cars enter the lengthy motorcade, which can have substantial gaps between the more than 20 vehicles. The overwhelming majority of breaches are considered mistakes. |
| But having a breach at the 17th Street checkpoint is extremely unusual, according to two law enforcement sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. | But having a breach at the 17th Street checkpoint is extremely unusual, according to two law enforcement sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. |
| When asked how Goldstein was able to breach the outer perimeter, Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said the agency would “have to review and find out how that did happen.” | |
| Former Secret Service officials characterized the incident as a modest failure of security, noting that while the driver maneuvered past the checkpoint he does not appear to have breached the “secure package” of the motorcade by getting past the rear-most vehicle. | Former Secret Service officials characterized the incident as a modest failure of security, noting that while the driver maneuvered past the checkpoint he does not appear to have breached the “secure package” of the motorcade by getting past the rear-most vehicle. |
| “Obviously, any failure is basically viewed as unacceptable with the Service,” said W. Ralph Basham, who served as director of the agency from 2003-2006. | |
| “It’s the human element,” Basham said. “You’re not expecting to see something like that and when it’s that quick, being able to react in a timely fashion is challenging.” | “It’s the human element,” Basham said. “You’re not expecting to see something like that and when it’s that quick, being able to react in a timely fashion is challenging.” |
| Both Basham and another former Secret Service agent, who has experience with motorcades, said Obama’s daughters would have been traveling in a “stripped down” motorcade with far fewer support vehicles than the president’s entourage. In some cases, the smaller motorcades do not travel with local police escorts so as not to draw attention, they said. | Both Basham and another former Secret Service agent, who has experience with motorcades, said Obama’s daughters would have been traveling in a “stripped down” motorcade with far fewer support vehicles than the president’s entourage. In some cases, the smaller motorcades do not travel with local police escorts so as not to draw attention, they said. |
| Basham said there were instances during his tenure where confused motorists got near the motorcade, but they were forced out by police or intelligence vehicles. He could not recall any instance where a motorist got near the motorcade with the intent of doing harm to the president or another dignitary. | Basham said there were instances during his tenure where confused motorists got near the motorcade, but they were forced out by police or intelligence vehicles. He could not recall any instance where a motorist got near the motorcade with the intent of doing harm to the president or another dignitary. |
| The president and first lady Michelle Obama likely would be briefed on Tuesday’s incident, he said. | The president and first lady Michelle Obama likely would be briefed on Tuesday’s incident, he said. |
| “I’m sure they would be curious about whether this should have happened,” Basham said. | “I’m sure they would be curious about whether this should have happened,” Basham said. |
| Staff writers David Nakamura and Peter Hermann contributed to this report. | Staff writers David Nakamura and Peter Hermann contributed to this report. |
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