‘Invisible object’ set off U-Hell
The crazed U-Haul driver who ran down at least eight people during a more than hourlong frenzy in Brooklyn was charged with murder Tuesday — as police revealed what may have sparked his bloody rampage.
Weng Sor, 62, “was suffering a mental-health crisis” — and told cops he was set off by an “invisible object” coming toward his truck — prompting him to allegedly unleash the Monday morning spree that killed a father of three and left a trail of injured New Yorkers from Sunset Park to Red Hook.
“He states when he’s driving his van, he sees an invisible object come towards the car and at that point he says, ‘I’ve had enough’ and he goes on his rampage,’ ” NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said at a press briefing announcing the charges Tuesday.
Police said Sor — who has a lengthy rap sheet in Nevada and a history of mental illness — was out to commit “suicide by cop.”
One victim, 44-year-old Yijie Ye, a father of three who took a job as an Uber Eats driver to help feed his kids, died in the rampage, with another left in an induced coma.
Ye came to the US from Fuzhou, China, 18 years ago to find a better life — only to be cut down in the vehicular rampage, his cousin told The Post Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, this tragic accident shattered their American dream and our family members are heartbroken by his death,” said the cousin, who gave his name only as Mike.
Another victim was left in an induced coma while the remaining victims — including a police officer — were expected to recover.
In addition to the murder rap, Sor faces seven counts of attempted murder — with the investigation continuing, Essig said.
“We have a lot of information from his family, who confirmed that he was off his medication,” Essig said. “He does say to the police when he’s arrested, ‘You should have shot me.’ ”
Five days earlier, Sor — who cops say rented the van in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 1 — was on his way to the Big Apple when he was pulled over for reckless driving and marijuana possession in South Carolina on Feb. 5.
The following day, Sor showed up at his ex-wife’s Brooklyn home, where his son also lives, and showered. He then returned to the apartment on Feb. 8, when he got into “an altercation” with his son, Essig said.
Following the argument, Sor was pulled over on the Belt Parkway and cited for speeding and driving a commercial vehicle.
“The next time, we see that vehicle is in New Jersey, Millburn, on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 8:10 p.m. before he returns to Brooklyn” on the day of the rampage, Essig said.
Nabbed at tunnel
The mayhem began in Sunset Park, and went through Bay Ridge, into Dyker Heights, and back to Bay Ridge before Sor was nabbed just outside the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel in Red Hook, police said.
“During this rampage, eight civilians — three on a bike, three on a moped, one on an e-bike and one walking — were injured,” Essig said.
“One tragically suffered a fatal injury,” the chief said. “One is in critical but stable condition. The remaining six injuries range from broken bones to cuts and bruises.”
Among other victims, Ye — a dad to teen twin boys and a girl — was riding a moped when he was hit and suffered a serious head injury near Bay Ridge Parkway and Fifth Avenue, police said. He was rushed to NYU Langone, where he died.
Cops were finally able to box in the U-Haul near Hamilton Avenue and Columbia Street and took Sor into custody without incident, cops said.