Matt Spillane

mspillane@lohud.com

CLARKSTOWN - A West Nyack man whose license had been suspended 89 times is facing felony charges after police say he led them on a high-speed chase in which his passengers feared for their lives.

Reggie Gibbs, 38, was arrested in Orangetown around 7:50 p.m. Saturday near the Tappan Zee Bridge, police said.

State troopers initially stopped Gibbs shortly after 7 p.m. on Route 59 in Clarkstown after he ran a red light, said Trooper Steven Nevel, a police spokesman.

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Troopers approached his car and smelled marijuana, and learned of Gibbs' 89 license suspensions, Nevel said. They asked him to pull his car off the road and into a nearby parking lot, but Gibbs fled instead, Nevel said.

Gibbs sped down Route 59 before leading troopers onto Interstate 87, as a man and a woman in his car pleaded with him to stop because they feared for their lives, Nevel said. Car trouble eventually caused Gibbs to stop near the Tappan Zee Bridge, he said.

Gibbs was charged with felony counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree unlawful imprisonment and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, in addition to misdemeanor counts of second-degree criminal impersonation and third-degree fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle. He also faces a violation for unlawful possession of marijuana.

Gibbs is being held at the Rockland County jail pending an appearance in Clarkstown Town Court.

The chase came two days after another Clarkstown pursuit ended in felony charges for a driver. A 29-year-old Long Island man was found with heroin and crack cocaine after a high-speed chase, according to Clarkstown police.

Twitter: @MattSpillane