Cops Arrest Man Driving on D.C. Sidewalk Near U.S. Capitol, Bomb Squad Clears Car

Cops in Washington, D.C. arrested a man who was driving a car along a sidewalk near the U.S. Capitol Building Thursday morning ... an incident ramping up anxiety across the nation following 2 apparent terrorist attacks New Year's Day.

Capitol police officers say a bomb squad was brought in ... but no explosives were found inside the car.

USCP say officers responded Thursday morning to reports of a vehicle driving along the sidewalk on the grounds outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Cops pulled him over and detained him while they investigated.

Police closed roads in the area as they checked the car for bombs ... and the driver was ultimately arrested and charged with reckless driving -- video showing officers taking him into custody.

The suspicious activity comes on the heels of two fatal incidents involving vehicles ... a terrorist attack in New Orleans where 14 people were killed by a truck mowing down revelers on Bourbon Street.

Hours later, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas in a possible terrorist attack. Common sense says something was up -- an Elon Musk vehicle exploding outside a Trump hotel.

Cops at the Capitol say there were no injuries ... but with the impending inauguration, police are on high alert