If you're active on social media at all, you may have already come across the fast-driving, cop-taunting daredevil by the username of Squeeze Benz. Squeeze Benz has been making street racing videos for some time now, often evading police after speeding through New York City. Investigators recently arrested Squeeze Benz after linking his vehicle registration to his Instagram handle, seemingly ending his reign over the streets despite his usual success at avoiding capture. Benz has managed to avoid investigators up to this point by employing some slick street maneuvering and stripping the license plates from his vehicles while performing stunts on the road.
With over 1 million followers on social media, Squeeze Benz has amassed major notoriety, with plenty of onlookers curious to learn more about the internet figure following his arrest. Now that his identity has been revealed, let's look into everything we know regarding the famous viral street racer, and unpack the truth behind his hidden identity.
The Daredevil Is Only 19 Years Old
The most shocking element of Squeeze Benz's identity reveal was his age. Following his arrest, many discovered the young street takeover champion is a Flushing, Queens native named Antonio Ginestri. Surprisingly, Ginestri is only 19 years old, which means he likely only had his license briefly before embarking upon this bizarre undertaking. The teenage thrill seeker frequently reached top speeds of 130 miles per hour in his viral videos and always wore a mask to conceal his identity. Often, a young accomplice would appear in the seat next to him as he would taunt cops and speed away in his lineup of luxury vehicles.
Following his arrest, Deputy Commissioner of NYPD Operations Kaz Daughtry wrote on social media “One of the most prolific street racers in NYC can no longer treat the Big Apple like the Indy 500." While Benz's exploits were certainly dangerous to the general public, it is quite impressive that he was able to pull off these death-defying stunts at a young age. Perhaps this arrest will serve as an important life lesson for Ginestri. With any luck, he may continue driving in a competitive capacity, confined to properly zoned race tracks and other legal areas.
It Took Multiple Police Departments To Take Him Down
As previously stated, Squeeze Benz had maintained a long and documented track record of duping local cops. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Squeeze Benz required the combined efforts of multiple departments to make the arrest. Apparently, the investigation began after Ginestri's latest exploit, which saw him doing donuts around police vehicles on April 11. While he was ultimately able to escape police pursuit with a high-speed departure and some quick maneuvering, the police were able to trace his car back to the Squeeze Benz account. From there, it was only a matter of time before the authorities connected the dots.
The NYPD Auto Crimes division then collaborated with the Newark Police force in order to tie Ginestri back to the Squeeze Benz alias, following an unrelated incident that saw Ginestri allegedly assaulting another young man inside an Astoria deli. Police charged Ginestri with reckless driving, eluding police, theft, conspiracy, and employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime after identifying him as the street racer. That last charge likely relates to Squeeze Benz's penchant for bringing friends along to ride shotgun. The young men are often seen clutching at their passenger seat as Benz skids away from the police at top speeds.
This Is Not Ginestri's First Arrest
Despite his young age, this most recent run-in with the police is somehow not Squeeze Benz's first-ever arrest. In fact, the 19-year-old had just pleaded guilty to an unrelated crime in March, only weeks before the investigation into the Squeeze Benz account began. The March arrest saw Ginestri plead guilty to possessing a stolen motorcycle. This guilty plea carried with it a $3,000 fine.
At this time, lawyers for the young man have not released an official statement on his behalf, though folks have been going wild over Squeeze Benz on social media circles across the world. Not much is truly known about the street racer, though his anti-police stance has made him something of a local celebrity, increasing his follower count with each passing day.
[Via]