Wild ride in Queens Midtown Tunnel leads to crash caught on dash cam

May 09-- May 9--An 18-year-old Bronx man allegedly riding high on a marijuana and cocaine cocktail entered the wrong tube on the Queens Midtown Tunnel and slammed into an Uber driver head-on in a crazy crash caught on video, officials said Wednesday.

After Jorje Beato scrambled away from the mangled wreck, he was nearly killed by police after pulling what looked like a gun and aiming it at an approaching Bridge and Tunnel officer, sources with knowledge of the case said. The officer didn't fire, quickly realizing that the only thing he had in his hand was his cellphone.

Beato was driving on a learner's permit when the crash occurred, officials said.

The dramatic scene unfolded about 1:30 a.m. on April 28 when Beato, driving his father's black Jeep Patriot, bashed through a barrier on the 35th St. entrance of the Queens side of the tunnel and entered the tube heading in the wrong direction.

Officials estimate that he was going more than 60 mph when he slammed intoZafar Iqbal's whiteToyota Highlander on a curve.

"I don't know how this guy got into the tunnel. They need more protection for that. It's very dangerous, it's a nightmare for me," said Iqbal, 37,an Uber driver.

Iqbal'sdash cam caught the collision in a bend to the tunnel less than a half mile into the tube, the video shows.

Beato's vehicle bounced off the Highlander and jackknifed. A few moments later, he jumped out of his father's car and ran off down the catwalk back toward Queens, as Bridge and Tunnels Officer Greg Baranowski came zipping down in his patrol car.

For some unknown reason, Beato stopped, pulled something from his pocket, crouched and aimed it at the officer, but the cop didn't fire his weapon when he saw it was a phone.

The cop struggled with Beato before taking him into custody and charging him with reckless driving, drug possession, marijuana possession, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.

Used bags of marijuana and cocaine were found in his vehicle. Iqbal's dash cam and cameras in the tunnel caught the accident and Beato trying to escape.

Medics took Iqbaland his passenger to Bellevue Hospital with back and neck injuries. Both were treated and released.

"The car is totaled and it's the only job I have,"said Iqbal. "Insurance isn't paying for the full car and I have two daughters."

Beato claimed he was driving to his hotel to sleep, and complained when he found out his weed was being confiscated, according to sources, who said Beato was extremely incoherent, uncooperative and unable to follow instructions.

Beato has three prior sealed arrests and convictions and had a warrant for domestic violence felony assault with a vehicle against his girlfriend.

___

(c)2019 New York Daily News

Visit New York Daily News at www.nydailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.