Cops add new wrinkle to Palisades Mall “dare you to jump” story

Police now say 21-year-old Park Ridge resident Nicholas DiBlasi, who allegedly jumped from the second floor of the Palisades Mall to the first floor, incurring minor injuries in the process, was bet $50 by a friend to pull the stunt.

Originally police said his friends merely “dared” him to jump, but in an interview with WCBS 880 AM a Clarkstown PD officer stated that DiBlasi told them the dare had been in the form of a $50 bet. DiBlasi faces second degree reckless endangerment charges for his alleged stunt. Police have not indicated any intention to arrest the friend who may have offered DiBlasi money to take the plunge.

The misdemeanor reckless endangerment charges were brought because pedestrians regularly traffic the area DiBlasi jumped onto and thus police believe he caused a danger to others when he jumped. The drop from the second floor to the first floor is about 20 feet. The incident happened near Macy’s.