A driver was arrested Saturday near a Donald Trump rally in Coachella, California, in possession of several illegally possessed weapons, before being released on bail the same evening, the local sheriff’s office said Sunday.
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The announcement comes after two assassination attempts against the former Republican president in recent months, and at a time when he is pleading for more resources to be devoted to his security.
The suspect, identified as Vem Miller, a 49-year-old Las Vegas resident, was “in possession of a rifle, a loaded pistol, and a high-capacity magazine” in his car, the statement said. the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office in eastern California.
“The incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or event attendees,” the statement continued, which did not provide information on the driver’s intentions.
Vem Miller was released on $5,000 bail that same evening. He is due to appear in local court on January 2 for the offenses of “possession of a loaded firearm” and “possession of a high-capacity magazine”.
Neither the campaign team nor the Secret Service – responsible for protecting senior American political figures – reacted immediately.
The Riverside County sheriff is scheduled to give a news conference later Sunday.
The former Republican president narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on July 13 when a gunman opened fire during an election rally in Pennsylvania (north-east), hitting him in the ear and killing a member of assistance.
In mid-September, a man was also arrested, accused of trying to shoot Donald Trump at one of his golf courses in Florida.
