White House

Driver of U-Haul That Rammed White House Gate Not a US Citizen, Prosecutors Say

Sai Varshith Kandula, a 19-year-old from suburban St. Louis, appeared in court on Wednesday

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

The man accused of ramming a U-Haul truck into barriers near the White House earlier this week isn't a U.S. citizen, authorities said Wednesday.

Sai Varshith Kandula, a 19-year-old from suburban St. Louis, wore an orange jail-issued jumpsuit in his brief courtroom appearance when prosecutors requested pre-trial detention.

A government prosecutor told the court that Kandula is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident. But later on Wednesday, a Department of Justice official clarified the open-court remarks and said Kandula does hold a green card for lawful, permanent U.S. residency.

The suspect's national origin wasn't mentioned in court.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com here.

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