Responding officers from the Department of Public Safety arrested the driver and his female companion who were fleeing on foot.
Variety learned that the incident was still being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service and other federal agencies.
Initial damage to the federal court facility amounted to $30,000, Variety was told.
Federal charges are being prepared against the driver, Variety learned.
Department of Public Safety acting spokesman Sgt. Thomas A. Blas Jr. identified the vehicle’s operator as Young Sik Kim, 43, and his female companion Suk Young Yang, 40.
Kim was booked and detained at the Department of Corrections facility on the charge of driving under the influence, reckless driving, and fleeing the scene of a crash.
The van had moderate damage to its front portion and was brought to the DPS impound lot.
“Both the driver and passenger of the van were intoxicated. Alcohol has been identified as a factor in this crash,” said Blas in a statement.
Tarpaulin now covers the damaged side of the building.
Yesterday afternoon, federal court staffers assessed the damage to the courtroom, including its structural, audio and video units.
The federal court has no scheduled hearing for this week.
DPS said it received a call at about 11:28 p.m. on Tuesday regarding a disturbance in Garapan at the Horiguchi Building.
Blas said responding officers Jonathan Cepeda and Catherine Pangelinan were told by the on-duty security guard that a white van had crashed into the northeastern portion of the building.
The driver and passenger of the van fled the scene on foot, the security guard told the police.
Blas said Officers Cepeda and Pangelinan conducted a search and found two individuals matching the description of the driver and passenger of the van given by the security guard.
“The two officers conducted a field interview of the two individuals [who] admitted to the officers that they were involved in that crash,” Blas said, adding that the security guard also positively identified the two as the van’s driver and passenger.
Traffic Investigator Kwon Norris conducted the at-scene investigation, and learned that the van was heading north on Alaihai Avenue, the road east of Horiguchi, where it made a stop at the intersection.
“Acceleration marks were evident at the intersection when the van exited turning left completing a u-turn and drove straight into the wall of the U.S. District Court at the Horiguchi Building,” Blas said.
