U.S. Secret Service responds after man drives his vehicle onto the sidewalk outside White House

WASHINGTON (NBC, KYMA) - U.S. Secret Service responded after a car drove onto a sidewalk outside the White House Saturday.

It happened just after noon Eastern, the vehicle was parked directly in front of a Lafayette Square gate.

Witnesses told NBC News the driver exited the SUV and told officers he needed to speak with the president.

The man calmly allowed officers to handcuff him and he was place into a Secret Service vehicle.

An agency spokesperson said the man was taken to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation.

At the time of the incident, local roads were shut down out of an abundance of caution and the vehicle was also swept with negative results.

President Donald Trump was not at the White House at the time, and is at Camp David.