The man accused of scaling a security fence and getting into the White House on Friday is also facing unrelated charges out of Wythe County.
Omar J. Gonzalez, 42, of Copperas Cove, Texas, was arrested July 19 in Wythe County and charged with possessing a sawed-off shotgun and eluding police. He was also carrying several other guns and a map of the Washington area with the White House circled.
Wythe County Commonwealth’s Attorney Jerry Mabe confirmed on Monday that Gonzalez is the same man accused of scaling the White House perimeter fence on Friday, sprinting across the lawn and entering the building before agents stopped him.
In the Washington incident, Gonzalez, who has been identified as an Army veteran, is facing a charge of unlawfully entering a restricted building or grounds while carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon. Gonzalez had a small folding knife with a 3½-inch serrated blade with him at the time of his arrest.
People are also reading…
During a hearing on Monday, federal prosecutors alleged that Gonzalez was keeping 800 rounds of ammunition, two hatchets and a machete in his car, which was parked blocks away from the White House.
Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller wrote in a news release Monday that at 9:13 a.m. on July 19 police received several calls about a 1996 Ford Bronco driving “in a dangerous and reckless manner” on Interstate 81 north in Wythe County.
A trooper responded to the call and pulled behind the Bronco near mile marker 72 on I-81 north. The trooper activated his emergency lights in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but the Bronco did not stop, according to the news release.
The vehicle crossed into Pulaski County and was eventually stopped near mile marker 93, the release stated.
Gonzalez was taken into custody without incident and taken to the New River Valley Regional Jail. He was released July 26 on a $5,000 secured bond, according to jail records.
Gonzalez was also charged in Wythe County with improper passing and reckless driving, but those charges were dropped during a preliminary hearing earlier this month, according to online court records.
His case is scheduled to go before a Wythe County grand jury on Oct. 20.
The Army has said Gonzalez served from 1997 until his discharge in 2003, and again from 2005 to December 2012, when he retired due to disability.
Secret Service Director Julia Pierson has ordered increased surveillance and more officer patrols after Friday’s security breach at the White House, and has begun an investigation into what went wrong.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
