A suspected drunk driver “almost struck” Vice-President Kamala Harris’s motorcade after driving the wrong way down a highway in Milwaukee on Monday.
When police stopped the suspect’s vehicle, officers found an open can of beer in his vehicle, according to the arrest report obtained by a local radio station.
After a field sobriety test, the unnamed 55-year-old driver was taken into custody for driving under the influence.
Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, was in Wisconsin for a campaign event alongside former Republican lawmaker Liz Cheney in the town of Brookfield.
According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s office, the incident took place shortly before 20:30 local time (01:30 GMT) when officers saw a man in an SUV travelling westbound in the eastbound lane of Interstate 94.
The driver was stopped as he approached the vice-president’s motorcade.
According to an arrest report obtained by local news station WISN, when the man was told by a deputy he had “almost struck a vehicle in the VPOTUS’ motorcade, he was extremely surprised and had no recollection of entering the freeway”.
“He also stated he did not have any intention of harming Vice President Kamala Harris or anybody related to her campaign.
“According to the report, the man failed several field sobriety tests. No injuries were reported in the incident.
In a statement, a US Secret Service spokesperson said that the agency is “aware of the incident involving a motorist traveling in the opposite direction on the highway while the Vice-President was in her motorcade”.
“We are grateful to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office for its response which allowed them to stop the motorist and take the driver into custody for DUI,” the statement added.
In September, vans travelling with Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, were involved in an accident in the Milwaukee area.The cars involved were at the rear of the motorcade and were carrying members of the press travelling with Mr Walz.
Reporters said they were “violently thrown forward” after being hit from behind, sending their vehicle into the car in front of them. At least one person was injured.
The incident comes as the Secret Service contends with what acting director Ronald Rowe has described as a “heightened threat environment” ahead of the 5 November election.
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