4-Time Suspended Driver Causes Crash Near Holland Tunnel, Police Say

Authorities arrested a Lakewood man – whose driver’s license has been suspended four times – for driving recklessly through the Holland Tunnel and causing a crash on a one-way street on Thursday.

The incident took place around 1 a.m., when a Port Authority police officer allegedly observed a black, 2015 Infinity SUV ignore lane markers and change lanes in the eastbound tube of the tunnel in Jersey City.

The SUV proceeded onto the St. John’s Rotary, exited onto Varick Street and continued onto Laight Street, where the officer activated his overhead lights and instructed the driver to pull over.

Ignoring the officer’s instructions, the driver – later identified as 23-year-old Efraim M. Nussbaum - turned onto 6th Avenue against traffic in a southbound direction.

The officer followed the vehicle and alerted the driver over his car’s PA system that he was traveling the wrong way against traffic and instructed him to pull over.

Still ignoring the officer’s commands, Nussbaum turned southbound against traffic onto West Broadway and collided with a Toyota Camry at the intersection of Beach Street.

The Toyota’s air begs deployed due to the impact, trapping the 33-year-old driver in the car and requiring an extraction by Port Authority Tunnel and Bridge agents.

Emergency responders transported the driver of the Toyota to Bellevue Hospital after he complained of breathing difficulty and back/neck pain.

Police arrested Nussbaum and impounded his vehicle. He was charged with Unlawful Fleeing Police in a Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangerment and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle.

File photo of Holland Tunnel courtesy of MarvinKuo via flickr