---
title: "Charges Dropped Over Gemballa Mirage GT Driver’s Wild Wrecking Rampage in NYC"
description: "Lawyers!"
date: "2021-03-17"
modified: "2021-03-17"
authors:
  - name: "Peter Holderith"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/peter-holderith"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/39825/charges-dropped-over-gemballa-mirage-gt-drivers-wild-wrecking-rampage-in-nyc"
categories:
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "RAM News"
  - "Trucks"
---

# Charges Dropped Over Gemballa Mirage GT Driver’s Wild Wrecking Rampage in NYC

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2021/03/ben-chen-ladies-and-gentlemen.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Remember that guy, Ben Chen? The one who [drove his 1-of-25, Gemballa Mirage GT into no less than five parked cars](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/32933/gold-rush-rally-co-founder-ben-chen-charged-with-dui-after-gemballa-mirage-gt-rampage-in-nyc>), leading to an initial criminal charge of drugged driving? Happens to the best of us.

Anyway, as [*Road and Track*](<https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a35853239/gemballa-mirage-gt-wrecked-in-manhattan-charges-dropped/>) first reported, Chen was cleared of all charges from this incident on Monday, March 15. Money talks and, apparently, so do good lawyers. In a scheduled court appearance in New York City, he was cleared of reckless driving as well as operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs. Here's a reminder of what that Porsche looked like [after he was done with it.](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/32927/driver-annihilates-ultra-rare-gemballa-mirage-gt-in-manhattan-hit-and-run-rampage>)

![message-editor%2F1615990719830-inlinea.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1615990719830-inlinea.jpg>)
***RONNIE CORADO via Facebook***

Video of the incident, which happened last April, shows Chen losing control at high speed on the arrow-straight 11th Avenue in New York City before slamming into a stationary minivan. After that, he continues driving, hitting several other parked cars before finally coming to a stop and being detained by the NYPD.

Chen is clearly out of it in the clips posted to the internet; he prompts a "Where are you going?" from an officer after giving his engine a few weak revs. As to why he [decided to do all of this at 7:30 a.m.](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72sIKyuQbgc>), we're not sure, but he's hardly being punished for it.

A quote from this week's court hearing reads, “The People are moving to dismiss this matter because the case cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt."

https://youtube.com/embed/72sIKyuQbgc

As previously mentioned, the [car in question](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/32952/how-ben-chens-gemballa-mirage-gt-demolished-a-toyota-sienna-and-still-drove-away>) wasn't just any normal V10-powered Porsche. Gemballa Mirage GTs got their engines boosted from 603 to 670 horsepower, and the cars were fitted with new suspension as well as a number of other goodies all intended to make them a bit more hardcore. Gemballa made just 25 of them and they are *very* expensive.

Obviously, there's one less factory-fresh example out there, and the owner of said vehicle is just going to have some bills to pay as punishment for his demolition derby.

*Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here**: peter@thedrive.com*

## Author
Peter Holderith is a former staff writer for The Drive. He enjoys covering the regular news cycle, writing reviews, and hunting down long features on obscure pieces of automotive history.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-h-5ba447192/>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/_baldtires>)