Investigators suspect that the unlicensed Queens teen “was high” on “pot” when his souped-up Subaru spun out of control on a Long Island highway in a one-car crash that killed his four close friends, The Post has learned.
Joseph Beer, 17, “was driving way too fast” right before the spectacular crash at about 3:40 a.m. yesterday on the Southern State Parkway in Nassau County, a law-enforcement source said.
Authorities suspect Beer “was high” at the time the his new 2012 Subaru STI slid across a section of the highway known as Dead Man’s Curve and went sailing into a group of trees — totaling the car and ejecting all five people inside, the source said.
Only Beer survived — but killed instantly were his four recently graduated classmates from Richmond Hill HS in Queens, all of whom were 18 years old.
“We believe it was pot, and we are awaiting test results,” the source said.
“Responders to the crash noticed an odor of marijuana to the vehicle,” the source added.
The source also said that authorities do not expect to file criminal charges against Beer today, as the probe is continuing.
Because Beer only had a learner’s permit, he was barred from driving between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., from driving without a licensed 21-year-old driver in the car to supervise him, and from carrying any passengers under age 21 who were family members.
Despite those prohibitions, Beer was not only driving, he was operating a new Subaru STI equipped with “a souped-up, speed-enhancement package,” the source noted.
The investigation will include an examination of a “black box” in Beer’s car, which could reveal just how fast he was driving, and for how long, before the crash.
“It has one, but it’s not easily readable,” the source said about that black box. “Investigators are arranging for Subaru to help read it.”
A spokesman for the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office had no comment on the case today.
Beer remained in Winthrop Hospital as families of his four dead 18-year-old Richmond HS classmates began making funeral arrangement for them.
The dead men — Chris Khan, Neal Rajapa, Peter Anthony and Darian Ramnarine — were all close friends with Beer.
Khan’s uncle Mohamed Ibrahim today said of Beer’s family, “I have a little sympathy for them but you know, they should know better.”
“Buying their son who just has a permit a car? Come on, all parents think twice about doing something like that,” Ibrahim said. “Every parent would think twice about doing something like that because the kid is only 17-years old, just have a permit. How can you go and buy a car for him?… I wouldn’t do that for my kid I make sure my kid have a license.”
Rajapa’s aunt, Roxanne Rajapa said, “We don’t really feel anything towards the driver because Neal was not the only one who lost his life.”
“There were four other kids and they all know each other since they are eight years old they’ve been friends. We can’t really blame anybody at this point We’re not really looking to blame. It’s just tragic,” Roxanne said.
“We were the last family to get contacted… Everybody’s in shock. We’re trying to process the information.”
The aunt also said that Rajapa’s mom had strange premonitions of something bad happening to her son in recent days.
“He left after 10. She didn’t let them out of the house all week because she had a bad feelings,” Roxanne said. “He didn’t leave her apartment. That night his friend Joseph called him and said can you meet me I don’t have school tomorrow because it was Columbus Day and he told his mom he was going to spend the night over there.”
“She had been having dreams, like really bad dreams that something bad was going to happen but she didn’t know what. So that’s why she kept them in the house all week, she didn’t let him go anywhere and then that night he begged to go see Joseph and she was like, you know, okay.”