Close Call for President Biden: Secret Service Action Swiftly Taken After Motorcade Collision

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden had an unexpected and potentially perilous encounter on Sunday night as their motorcade was struck by a car, prompting a rapid response from Secret Service agents.

The incident unfolded at around 8 pm outside the president's campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, just after a relaxed dinner with campaign staff. As the Bidens were leaving the building, a silver copper sedan with Delaware plates collided with a black U.S. Secret Service SUV that was part of their protective motorcade.

Caught off guard, President Biden paused and turned towards the commotion. The collision was accompanied by a loud bang, startling both the president and those in proximity.

Quick to react, armed Secret Service agents approached the silver sedan with caution, drawing their weapons on the driver, whose hands were raised inside the vehicle. As the scene unfolded, the first lady took a moment to wish "Happy Holidays" to waiting journalists, who were also startled by the unexpected turn of events.

Despite the chaos, both President Biden and the first lady emerged unharmed. The sedan attempted to navigate through the closed-off intersection, but Secret Service personnel swiftly surrounded the vehicle, instructing the driver to surrender. The unidentified driver complied, and nearby reporters were hurriedly escorted away from the scene for safety.

As the tense situation unfolded, a staffer urgently informed journalists, "They're evacuating, you guys gotta go," emphasizing the seriousness of the security measures being implemented.

President Biden, initially responding to questions about his polling numbers, was interrupted by the collision. Witnesses reported a sudden "woah" from Biden, followed by the revving of an engine as he was swiftly escorted to his waiting vehicle.

Security personnel efficiently ushered the president into his car, where the first lady was already seated, and the motorcade hastily departed for the safety of their home. A bystander's exclamation of "oh my gosh" captured the gravity of the incident, as noted in a media pool report from the scene.

The president and first lady arrived home by 8:20 pm, and remarkably, the incident did not disrupt the president's schedule. Despite the close call, the Secret Service did not immediately provide comments on the crash, leaving the cause of the collision unclear.