Kentucky man seeking YouTube fame accused of jumping White House fence dressed as Pokémon's Pikachu
Thomas Novelly
Well, that's one way to get to the White House.
A man from Kentucky is accused of trying to jump the White House fence while dressed as Pikachu, the popular Pokémon character, to become YouTube famous.
Curtis Combs, 36, of Somerset, Kentucky, was arrested by D.C. police officers around 9:35 a.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest affidavit filed in superior court.
Combs told authorities that he "wanted to become famous and thought jumping the White House fence and posting it to YouTube would make him famous," the arrest affidavit states.
Officers issued him verbal commands telling him to get down, but Combs kept climbing. He was arrested after he was inside the restricted area of the White House lawn.
Combs later told authorities that secret service got too close and interrupted his attempt at a pre-jump but "decided to still attempt because he thought we weren't paying attention," the arrest affidavit said.
The arrest affidavit states he had been canvassing the White House for a weak point to make his jump and that he talked his plan over with friends, but they declined to help.
He said he knew he would be arrested and that he "had researched D.C. charges and other previous jumpers."
He was released Wednesday and is scheduled for a hearing in D.C. superior court on Nov. 9. He faces one misdemeanor charge for unlawful entry.
Combs told authorities he wanted to come back to the White House with his son for a tour, the arrest affidavit said.
Reach Reporter Thomas Novelly at 502-582-4465 or by email at tnovelly@courier-journal.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.
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