Midtown Road Rage

Yesterday's SUV-jumping-a-Midtown-curb incident was actually more than an incident of just a driver losing control. It all started when the drivers of two cars got into a fight. A police lieutenant decided to intervene to "avoid a road rage" incident and asked the driver of a Honda SUV for his license. As Hugo Palamino took his license out of his wallet, a small bag with a white, drug-like substance fell out. And at that, Palamino "hit the gas," but dragged Lieutenant John McAndrew with him. Palamino drove for a half block, hitting a number of cars and pedestrains, only stopping after hitting a concrete barrier at Golda Meir Plaza. Then he tried to run away, but a building super stopped him. Palamino was "arrested and charged with multiple counts of assault, leaving the scene of an accident with injury and possession of a controlled substance" (the police think it's cocaine - good thing it's not the 'thrax!), and passenger Victoria Chasen was charged with possession of a controlled substance; the police also found a bottle of Belvedere vodka in the car. Gothamist can't decide if the lesson in this is to avoid al fresco dining/eating on busy streets, avoid getting into arguments with other drivers, or to not put the drugs in the wallet, but one of them is probably worthwhile.

What's more, one of the cars Palamino hit was a Mercedes owned by Damon Dash.

Photo from WNBC's Chopper 4