Secret Service Agents being investigated for crashing into White House barrier

Secret Service Agents being investigated for crashing into White House barrier (Image 1) (Copyright by WSLS - All rights reserved)

(NBC NEWS) - The Secret Service is looking into senior agents after a car crash at the White House this week.

A senior administration official confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday that there is an investigation into the actions of two agents — including a top member of President Obama's protective detail. Two sources familiar with the investigation told NBC News they were identified as Mark Connolly and George Ogilvie.

The probe is into what happened on March 4, when two agents drove a government vehicle into a White House security gate.

The Washington Post first reported on the investigation, saying the agents had been drinking at a party for a retiring Secret Service spokesman. The newspaper reported that officers who were on duty at the White House wanted to arrest the agents and conduct sobriety tests, but they were told by a supervisor to let the two go home.

Secret Service spokesman Robert Hoback said recently appointed Director Joseph Clancy has been briefed on incident. The investigation has been turned over to the Homeland Security Department's inspector general's office.

At the time of the incident, the officers at the White House were investigating a suspicious package on the White House grounds.

The agents arrived using their emergency flashing lights — which also may have been a violation of Secret Service regulations.

Recommended Videos



A Senior White House official said Obama is aware of the allegations and supports Clancy's decision to turn the investigation over to the DHS inspector general. Clancy took over the agency, first as interim director, in October, when the former head was forced out after a 

series of embarrassing security lapses

, including a breach of the White House by a knife-wielding intruder.