Metro

ABC News’ Brian Ross strikes jaywalker

ABC correspondent Brian Ross smashed his BMW into a jaywalking pedestrian outside the network’s studios on the Upper West Side Sunday evening, authorities said.

The man he hit, a 52-year-old former taxi driver from Queens, suffered a broken left arm, bruises and back pain.

“I said, ‘I know this guy, I’ve seen his face!’ ” injured ex-hack Roman Dati told The Post on Monday of the journalist who appears on such programs as “20/20” and “Good Morning America.”

Cops said Ross, 65, was turning left from 67th Street onto Columbus Avenue at around 6 p.m. when Dati stepped into the path of his black 2013 7 Series Beemer.

Ross had the right of way, turning with the light, when he struck Dati, law-enforcement sources said. There were no drugs or alcohol involved, police said, and no summonses or charges were filed.

Ross said the incident occurred while he was “slowly” pulling up to his parking space.

“As this happened right in front of WABC, I was able to take [Dati] inside our lobby and waited with him until the police and EMTs arrived, who then put his arm in a sling and took him to the hospital,” Ross said in a statement through an ABC rep.

“My only concern was to ensure the gentleman was OK and treated immediately.”

ABC spokesman Jeffrey Schneider insisted that Dati came “out of nowhere.”

“He stepped off the curb, put his hand onto Brian’s hood and pushed himself backwards,” ­Schneider said. “He fell down and hurt his arm.”

Dati said an apologetic Ross tried to shake his hand and wish him well while he was sitting in the ambulance waiting to be carted off to the hospital.

At first, “Brian was in shock. He didn’t say much. He was on the side watching,” Dati said.

But “when they took me towards the ambulance, he came over and apologized. He said he was very sorry and wished me well. He said he hoped I had a good recovery and shook my hand.

“I was mad,” Dati said. “At first, I was in shock and grateful to be alive, but by the time he apologized, I was mad, I was upset, and I wanted to see my wife.

“I see him coming at me, 10 to 15 mph, and I think he will stop, but he keeps continues,” Dati said.

“I am yelling, ‘Stop! Stop! Whoa! Whoa!’ I step back, and just then, his bumper hits my knees, and I put my arms out to protect myself.

“I drove a cab in New York City for years, and I can tell you, he realized I was there only after he hit me.”

Ross has had his share of controversy while on the job.

In one case, he was accused of playing fast and loose with the facts for reporting that a 9/11 suspect coughed up valuable information after a mere 30 seconds of the government’s controversial tactic of waterboarding. Other media outlets later said that tale was grossly exaggerated.