CAPE MAY — For a South Jersey man, a ride over the Middle Throughfare Bridge became a scary scene out of an action movie.

Lower Township Police said Terence Naphys made the decision to hit the gas of his Toyota RAV 4 Aug. 1 when he noticed the bridge start to rise 3 to 6 feet as he crossed the grate after paying the toll on the bridge connecting Cape May and Wildwood Crest.

The bridge was rising to allow a commercial fishing vessel to pass, according to police.

The Throghfare man told NBC 4 New York he was afraid the SUV would wind up in the water and he decided to gun it.

The leap caused minor damage to the front under-carriage of the RAV 4, but he was able to drive away. No was injured in the crash, police said.

The initial investigation by the Cape May County Bridge Commission said the bridge went up because of operator error by the bridge tender.

The bridge was opened  in 1940.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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