Fact Check: "At least one person was hit by the SUV driven by Joseph R. Checklick Jr., but no injuries have been reported according to the Culpeper Police Department."
What We Know
On June 14, 2025, an incident occurred in Culpeper, Virginia, during a "No Kings" protest, where an SUV driven by 21-year-old Joseph R. Checklick Jr. reportedly drove through a crowd of pedestrians. According to the Culpeper Police Department, preliminary investigations indicated that at least one person was struck by the vehicle. However, as of the police statement issued that same day, no injuries had been reported to law enforcement, and the individual who was hit had not been identified (Washington Post, WTOP).
The police described the driving behavior as reckless, stating that Checklick Jr. "intentionally accelerated his vehicle into the dispersing crowd" (USA Today). Following the incident, Checklick Jr. was arrested and charged with reckless driving and is currently being held without bond (Newsweek).
Analysis
The claim that "at least one person was hit by the SUV driven by Joseph R. Checklick Jr., but no injuries have been reported" is supported by multiple sources. The Culpeper Police Department confirmed that at least one person was struck during the incident, and this is corroborated by reports from WTOP and USA Today.
While the police noted that no injuries had been reported, it is important to consider that the individual struck had not been located at the time of the police statement. This raises questions about the completeness of the information available at that moment, but the consensus across reports is that no injuries were documented to law enforcement (Washington Post, WJLA).
The sources used in this analysis are credible news outlets and official statements from the police, which lend reliability to the information presented. There is no indication of bias in the reporting, as multiple independent sources corroborate the details of the incident.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The claim is true based on the available evidence. At least one person was indeed hit by the SUV driven by Joseph R. Checklick Jr., and while no injuries were reported to law enforcement at the time, the situation remains under investigation. The police's statements and the corroborating reports from various news outlets confirm the accuracy of the claim.
Sources
- SUV drives through protesters in Culpeper, Va., police say
- Man arrested for driving his SUV through 'No Kings' protest in Culpeper ...
- Culpeper Police Arrest Man for Reckless Driving
- Va. man arrested after driving into crowd of pedestrians leaving ...
- Driver Arrested After SUV Hits Protester at "No Kings" Rally
- Man arrested after allegedly driving into protesters in Virginia
- Culpeper Police: Man arrested after driving through crowd ...
- Culpeper Police: Man arrested after driving through crowd of ... - WSMV