An aggressive street-racing influencer was eventually detained after filming a series of movies taunting cops in high-speed stunts with costly automobiles in New York City and New Jersey, according to cops.
After authorities linked Antonio Ginestri, 19, to the well-known “Squeeze.Benz” Instagram and Twitter account last week, they arrested him. Now, he faces numerous charges for reckless driving and eluding police, as evidenced by the videos he posted to his more than 1 million social media followers.
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“One of the most prolific street racers in NYC can no longer treat the Big Apple like the Indy 500,” NYPD Deputy Chief of Operations Kaz Daughtry wrote on X.
Ginestri, of Flushing, is supposedly the man behind the wheel in the “Squeeze.Benz” movies, which show a driver in a racing helmet reaching speeds of up to 130 mph inside a BMW or Lamborghini. The footage shows the driver carelessly driving on congested public streets, doing doughnuts around patrol cars, and running numerous red lights.
One such film, titled “Squeeze vs. Newark,” depicts the driver presenting a counterfeit legal waiver to an unknown passenger before speeding down New Jersey streets.
When the driver notices a squad vehicle stopped in the middle of the road, he swiftly turns and does three high-speed donuts before speeding away, leaving the officer in the actual dust.
The driver then comes across many additional police cars, which are unable to keep up with the stunt car as it accelerates through several red lights and disappears into the highway.
The Newark Department of Public Safety stated that the video was just one of dozens discovered by detectives, in which Ginestri was reportedly “attempting to antagonize police” in order to increase views on his channels.
“Newark is not a playground for daredevil drivers seeking social media likes,” Newark Police Chief Emanuel Miranda stated. “We will not tolerate senseless, reckless driving on Newark streets.”
On April 11 at 1:16 a.m., officials claimed they started investigating Ginestri after witnessing him perform doughnuts around another police car.
The 19-year-old was allegedly driving a black BMW with no license plates and outpaced the pursuing officers, although the incident did lead officials to the “Squeeze.Benz” account.
The account has videos dating back over a year with titles like “Drifting through Times Square,” “NYPD Tried It,” and “4 Minutes of Squeeze Taking Over the FDR.”
The NYPD reported that they arrested Ginestri last Thursday for allegedly hitting a 20-year-old man inside the Steinway Deli in Astoria. Newark Police were assisting the NYPD Auto Crimes Manhattan Unit with the investigation.
Police in Fairfield have charged Ginestri with employing a child in the commission of a felony, larceny, and conspiracy in addition to careless driving.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office reports that Ginestri had to pay $3,000 in restitution after entering a guilty plea in March for possessing a stolen motorcycle.
An attorney for Ginestri was not immediately available for comment.
