This incident has raised concerns among local officials and the public about the transparency and handling of security matters at the base. The lack of immediate disclosure has led to demands for answers and accountability from the authorities involved.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a statement on May 16 confirming that two Jordanian nationals were turned over to ICE custody. However, ICE did not respond to the request to confirm whether one or both men were on the Terrorism Watch list or address the contents of the box truck.
Captain James Covington, ICE spokesman, confirmed: “On May 3, 2024, Marine Corps Base Quantico’s Criminal Investigations Division arrested two Jordanian noncitizens for trespassing. Marine Corps Base authorities notified the ICE Eastern Regional Office (ERO) in Washington, D.C., of the apprehensions. Deportation officers from ERO Washington, D.C.’s Criminal Apprehension Program responded and arrested both individuals without incident. Both individuals will remain in ERO custody pending removal proceedings.”Â
On May 15, an anonymous listener of WMAL’s “The Vince Coglianese Show” sent Vince Coglianese a photograph reportedly showing the box truck stopped at the Fuller Gate at Quantico. In an unrelated press conference on May 16, ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner responded to a question from Fox News’s Steve Doocy to confirm the incident and verified two Jordanian nationals were detained.Â
It has been 14 days since two Jordanian nationals attempted to access Quantico, claiming to be subcontractors delivering for Amazon. After being pulled aside by gate security, they attempted to accelerate and pass the guards; a vehicle barrier was deployed, which stopped the truck.Â
Multiple sources have stated at least one individual had recently crossed the border and entered the U.S.. At least one is reportedly on the FBI’s Terrorism Watch List. Both Quantico and ICE have not acknowledged requests to confirm this information.Â
This incident follows a recent spate of unauthorized access attempts at bases nationwide. Two days after Quantico, an unknown individual crashed into the gates at the White House. The driver perished in the crash, and no additional information has been released. In late April, a vehicle attempted to access  Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach. The driver perished in the crash, and no additional information has been released. In late March, a Chinese National attempted to gain access to Twentynine Palms, but was detained and transferred to ICE.
Jon Myers, a retired Marine intelligence officer with over 28 years of experience and former Joint Chiefs senior intelligence officer, advised in an interview that incidents such as these illustrate the border crisis is not an immigration issue but rather a national security issue. Myers, who is running for Congress in Virginia’s 7th District, described these incidents as “an indicator of a much, much larger problem.”Â
The Homeland Security Committee meeting on May 16, 2024, contained testimony from witnesses who said over 100 incidents of Chinese nationals attempting to access the U.S. Bases have occurred in recent years.Â
Potomac Local News will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. This story has been picked up by several national publications, including the NY Post, Blaze Media, and Fox News.
Elected officials are questioning why Quantico Marine Corps Base didn't tell the public about an attempted security breach at its main gate on May 3, 2024.
After pressing base officials, seven days after the incident, Potomac Local News broke the news of an early-morning incident in which two men driving a box truck approached the base's main gate on Fuller Road outside Dumfries. They claimed to be Amazon contractors making a delivery to the base's post office. Despite lacking proper credentials, they attempted to access the base.
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With an eye toward future political aspirations, Representative Abigail Spanberger (D) of Virginia’s 7th Congressional District is set to host a telephone town hall on Thursday, May 16, from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
The town hall, a staple of political engagement for elected officials, comes following a security breach at Quantico Marine Corps Base, located within her district boundaries. On May 3, two men inside a box truck, claiming to work for Amazon, tried to run the gate and were stopped by military police, and turned over to ICE.
Spanberger did not respond to a request for comment following the incident.
Sources tell Potomac Local one of the men is on a U.S. terrorist watch list, and had crossed the southern border into the country just days before the incident. No one one was injured at Quantico. However, it comes after multiple, similar, deadly incidents at the White House and at other military installations in Virginia and California.
Spanberger, currently serving her second term in Congress, announced earlier this year that she would not seek reelection to Congress. Instead, she has set her sights on the Virginia Governor’s mansion, with plans to run in the upcoming 2025 gubernatorial race.
Spanberger did not respond to a request for comment following the incident. On April 9, 2024, Potomac Local pressed Spanberger on whether or not, if elected governor in 2025, she would use the Virginia National Guard to assist Texas in securing the southern border. In response, she said the border is a federal issue, not a state issue, blamed House Republicans for not working with the president on his plan to secure the border, said “I’m working on it,” and jumped into an SUV and left the area.
In her announcement regarding the telephone town hall, Spanberger expressed her anticipation to engage with constituents, stating, “I look forward to hearing from you, answering your questions, and sharing updates about my work for Virginia.”
The telephone town hall offers multiple avenues for engagement for those interested in participating. Participants can dial in directly to the event at 833-380-0670 to listen live or pose questions directly to the congresswoman.
Additionally, for those preferring to watch the conversation unfold visually, Spanberger has provided online streaming options. The event can be viewed live at spanberger.house.gov/live or via her Facebook page.
Two people inside a box truck tried to force their way onto Quantico Marine Corps Base.
After being pressed by Potomac Local News, base officials today said that in the early morning hours of Friday, May 3, 2024, the two men drove a truck up to the base’s main gate on Fuller Road, just outside Dumfries, told guards that they were contractors for Amazon and were making a delivery to Quantico Town’s post office. The town is located inside the military base.
The men did not provide any approved access credentials, and police determined the vehicle had no affiliation with the base, so officers directed the truck to a holding area for standard vetting procedures. “One of the military police officers noticed the driver, ignoring the direct instructions of the officers, continued to move the vehicle past the holding area and attempted to access…Quantico,” said base spokesman Capt. Micheal Curtis.
Officers then used vehicle denial barriers, or roadblocks that were used to keep out cars, which prevented the two men from traveling further onto the base. The occupants were detained and eventually turned over to ICE, and no one was injured, said Curtis.
Multiple sources report one of the individuals inside the truck is a Jordanian foreign national who recently crossed the southern border into the U.S., and that one of the occupants is on the U.S. terrorist watch list. Quantico did not confirm this information.
Potomac Local News requested more information from ICE, and we’ll update this post as soon as we receive it.
Sources also tell us security on the base has been heightened since the incident, and that a mass email was sent to base personnel urging them to be on high alert.
The Quantico incident mirrors others at military installations across the U.S. and the White House, which have raised concerns about security protocols and the safety of personnel following three separate incidents involving unauthorized vehicle access.
Two days after the incident at Quantico, a vehicle crashed into an outer perimeter gate of the White House in Washington, D.C., resulting in the death of the driver. President Joe Biden, who was away for the weekend in Delaware, was not present during the incident, and the Secret Service confirmed that there was no threat to the White House.
The driver, a male whose identity has not yet been disclosed, was found deceased in the vehicle following the crash, which took place shortly before 10:30 p.m.
The Secret Service promptly enacted security measures, assuring the public that there was no immediate threat to the White House. Both the Secret Service and local law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the incident to determine its cause and any underlying factors.
Tragedy struck at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story in Virginia on Sunday, April 28, when a driver attempted to breach security protocols at the installation’s gate and crashed into a hydraulic barricade. Despite attempts by the base’s fire company to extinguish the resulting fire, the driver succumbed to the crash. According to a public affairs officer, the vehicle disregarded security checks and barreled through the gate at high speed.
On April 3, at Naval Base San Diego, an internal security vehicle triggered chaos at the Norman Scott Gate. The unmarked vehicle, belonging to the base’s security team, breached the gate without stopping, prompting the activation of emergency barricades. The ensuing collision injured three occupants, including two civilian officers and one active-duty military member.
On March 27, 2024, at Twentynine Palms, California, a Chinese national made a brazen attempt to gain access to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. Despite being informed by military police that he lacked authorization, the individual proceeded past gate guards, prompting immediate intervention by law enforcement. The suspect was swiftly detained and transferred to Customs and Border Patrol custody.Â
Kelly Sienkowski is a freelance reporter for Potomac Local News. If you’re not getting our FREE email newsletter, you are missing out. Subscribe Now!
Fire and rescue crews are on the scene of a brush fire on Interstate 95 near Quantico.
As you can see from the photos above, taken from VDOT cameras, smoke is billowing from the forested areas on the southbound side of the highway, near milepost 148, Quantico Marine Corps Base’s back gate.
At least two lanes of I-95 South are blocked by the fire scene, resulting in more than four miles of backups.
I-95 SOUTHBOUND: Expect delays approaching exit 148 (Quantico) near Stafford and Prince William county line for a brush fire. 2 I-95 southbound lanes remain open. Congestion begins 4+ miles approaching scene. @VaDOTNOVA @VaDOT @MCB_Quantico pic.twitter.com/WvJqlFFhnY
— VDOT Fredericksburg (@VaDOTFRED) April 15, 2024
More as we have it.
Last month, brush fires in the same areas forced the closure of Route 1 and snarled traffic for those trying to exit Quantico Marine Corps Base. Some base staffers were trapped on base for three to four hours.
Authorities said a woman was severely injured while walking along Interstate 95 near Quantico.
State police tell us:
Virginia State Police is investigating a crash involving a pedestrian and two vehicles which occurred at 8:45 a.m. Monday (April 1, 2024) on Interstate 95 southbound at the 148-mile marker in Prince William County.
A 2012 Freightliner Cascadia truck was traveling southbound on I-95 when it was unable to avoid a pedestrian in the travel lanes. The Cascadia was then struck in the rear by 2023 Ram 3500.
The pedestrian, a 66-year-old woman of Falls Church, suffered serious injuries and was taken to an area hospital and then flown to VCU Medical Center in Richmond.
Neither driver was injured in the crash. Both were wearing their seatbelts.
The crash remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, a 48-year-old Woodbridge man was injured in a crash on Sunday, March 31, 2024.
Virginia State Police is investigating two separate crashes that occurred Sunday (March 31, 2024) at 3:38 a.m. on the Interstate 66 Express Lanes (westbound) at the 56-mile marker in Fairfax County.
The first crash occurred when a 2019 Toyota C-HR lost control on Interstate 66 westbound, struck the right guardrail, overturned into the lanes of travel, and then ended up in the I-66 westbound express lanes. The vehicle also lost power.
Following that crash, a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover, traveling westbound in the express lanes, was unable to avoid the C-HR, and struck the C-HR in the rear. The Range Rover then overturned twice into the median.
A passenger in the Range Rover, My Doan, 43, was ejected and suffered serious injuries. She was not wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the Range Rover, George Davis III, 48, of Woodbridge, Va., and a second passenger, Shamal Taylor, 40, suffered minor injuries. Taylor was not wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the C-HR, Jose G. Mendoza, 32, of Falls Church, Va., suffered minor injuries. Mendoza has been charged with driving under the Influence (first offense).
The crash remains under investigation.
Prince William County fire officials say all brush fires have been extinguished.
Firefighters responded to 39 brush fires across the county on Wednesday, March 2024, including blazes in Dale City, Locust Shade Park near Quantico, and Nokesville.
The fires closed Route 1, causing significant delays for those trying to exit Quantico Marine Corps Base. The road reopened about 9 p.m.
No injuries were reported, and the fires damaged no structures. Crews will return to the scene of the fires today to clean up and put out any hot spots. The fire locations were heavily wooded, making it difficult to extinguish the flames fully.
Prince William fire and rescue Assistant Chief Matt Smolksy:
There are no active fires in the County as of 8:00 AM this morning.
Crews were in position to keep an eye on the Locust Shade fire during the night hours. This morning, units went back to the scene to extinguish hot spots. We will continue to monitor the site today and conduct additional clean up activities as needed. The area involved can be described as heavily wooded with deep ground cover making it extremely difficult to fully extinguish. Smoke and the smell of smoke will most likely linger in the area for some time. There is no threat to any structures or residents in the area.
The weather is predicted to be slightly better today. The National Weather Service has issued a Special Weather Statement for elevated fire weather conditions across the entire region through this evening. The biggest factor that will help is the prediction of weaker winds today, but other conditions will continue to dry fine fuels (vegetation). However, rain is on the way being forecasted for Friday evening into Saturday.
A rainy Friday and Saturday are in store; rain could sometimes be heavy.
On Friday, expect rain, mainly after 8 p.m., with as much as half and three-quarters of an inch possible. On Saturday, expect rain again and a high temperature of nearly 58 degrees.
Quantico Mayor Kevin Brown says the Marine Corps base in which his town sits will not open a closed gate that would provide emergency crews easier access to the town while brush fires rage and traffic remains snarled for five miles.
Brown said he placed multiple requests to Quantico Marine Corps Base officials to open a gate on Broadway Street. Brown said the additional access would make it easier for fire and rescue crews to access the town in an emergency.
Brown’s request was met with a “no,” and military police officers laughed at him on the phone, he said. Meanwhile, he’s still working to escalate his request higher up in the Marine Corps command chain.
The requests come as a line of cars stretches from Hosptial Point through town and up the nearly five-mile stretch of Russell Road to the base’s main gate near Dumfries.
A series of brush fires closed a portion of Route 1. Emergency crews are working to douse the flames. Drivers stuck in the backup have been texting us information and photos of what they see to 571-989-1695.
Quantico erected the gate at Broadway Street in 2020, following heightened base security rules following the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on January 2, 2020.
Brown said Quantico opened the gate this past weekend, March 16 and 17, to allow work on the railroad to commence. The gate was closed again on the evening of March 17.
For at least two years, Brown and members of his town council have petitioned to relax those restrictions and open the Broadway gate. Brown says trains often block the town’s main entrance at Potomac Avenue, preventing anyone, including emergency vehicles, from entering or exiting.
Earlier this month, Insidenova.com reported that a Montclair resident has filed a complaint in federal court against the Department of the Navy, alleging constitutional violations in restrictions on access to the town of Quantico.
Jennifer Nikolaisen claims the Navy-Marine Corps Installation Commander’s Interim Access Control Policy has caused a violation of First and Fifth Amendment rights by restricting access to the use of Fuller Road, which is the primary point of access to and from the town of Quantico, where Nikolaisen owns private property.
![Fire crews work to douse a blaze behind Ashdale Shopping Center in Dale City [Photo: Prince William fire and rescue]](https://www.potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dale-Blvd-2800-blk-I-1260x840.jpg){kind=link}
![Brush fires burn at Locust Shade Park in Triangle. [Photo: Prince William fire and rescue]](https://www.potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Locust-Shade-I-1260x840.jpg){kind=link}
![Fire crews work to douse a blaze behind Ashdale Shopping Center in Dale City [Photo: Prince William fire and rescue]](https://www.potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dale-Blvd-2800-blk-II-1260x840.jpg){kind=link}