Man who crashed U-Haul near White House pleads guilty

A St. Louis-area man who crashed his rented U-Haul truck into Lafayette Square last year, with the apparent intention of entering the White House and overthrowing the government, pleaded guilty in federal court in the District on Monday to damaging federal property.

As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors added a “terrorism” enhancement for Sai Varshith Kandula, which exposed him to a sentence of 12 to 15 years in prison. But the maximum sentence for federal property damage is 10 years, and prosecutors agreed to seek a term of eight years for Kandula when he appears for sentencing on Aug. 23.