New York police have reportedly arrested viral street racer ‘Squeeze Benz’ after his hit-and-run incident in May 2024 with Kick streamer N3on.
On May 21, the New York Police Department’s Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Kaz Daughtry, published a post on X revealing that the force had successfully arrested notorious content creator Squeeze Benz.
In his post, Daughtry called Benz “one of the most prolific street racers in NYC,” saying the internet-famous daredevil can “no longer treat the Big Apple like the Indy 500.”
“To anyone thinking about putting themselves and others in danger, recklessly zooming through the streets of NYC, think again! You will be arrested and your car will be seized. You will face justice,” he wrote.
Daughtry attached a screenshot of Benz’s Instagram profile to his post, which featured the word ‘apprehended’ in massive red lettering.
“Squeeze.benz” is in custody, thanks to NY’s Finest.One of the most prolific street racers in NYC can no longer treat the Big Apple like the Indy 500. To anyone thinking about putting themselves and others in danger, recklessly zooming through the streets of NYC, think again!… pic.twitter.com/JVYPvEVrvl
— NYPD Deputy Commissioner, Operations Kaz Daughtry (@NYPDDaughtry) May 21, 2024
The influencer’s mugshot has also been released, marking the first time Benz’s face has ever been shown publicly, as he always wears a helmet in his content while driving.
In an Instagram post published by Newark, New Jersey’s Department of Public Safety, more details were given about Benz’s arrest. After eluding police in a Black BMW on April 11, investigators came upon his social media pages, where they found a video he uploaded showing himself doing donuts around police cars during a chase.
Squeeze Benz was revealed to be 19-year-old Antonio Ginestri, who is facing charges of eluding Newark police along with other pending charges from additional law enforcement agencies.
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Benz’s arrest comes mere weeks after the street racer was involved in a hit-and-run during a live stream with Kick broadcaster N3on, who was streaming in the vehicle with him in the passenger’s seat at the time of the incident.
Although N3on claimed they’d agreed to only go ten miles over the speed limit, Benz ended up rocketing down the streets of New York before hitting a van in traffic.
The driver quickly fled the scene and dropped off N3on before making his escape… but it looks like he wasn’t able to evade law enforcement for very long.
Sqeeze Benz and Neon got hit while swerving through traffic and took off after the crash on stream 💀pic.twitter.com/wFnBH1d3i9
— ryan 🤿 (@scubaryan_) April 29, 2024
The incident resulted in N3on receiving a brief suspension on Kick, and even sparked a movement across streaming platforms speaking out against dangerous driving — even prompting the likes of Adin Ross to urge the site to enact stricter rules.
Benz is notorious for his content showing himself driving recklessly, narrowly avoiding collisions and police. He boasts over 703,000 followers on Instagram and an additional 300K on YouTube, with his latest video being uploaded just a day ago on May 20, 2024.
Now, the street racer is behind bars as he awaits sentencing, with comments across his social platforms filled with fans urging police to “free” Benz as they keep their eyes peeled for further information.