Alleged Rex Ryan hit-and-run victim says ex-Jets coach ‘almost killed’ him, his wife as new details emerge

The man whom Rex Ryan allegedly ran over last week in Nashville said on Friday he’s fortunate to still be alive following his terrifying run-in with the former New York Jets head coach.

During an exclusive interview with the California Post, Michael Holland, an attorney, said Ryan “almost killed” him and his wife when he struck them with his pickup truck just before midnight on Nov. 5 as they were crossing a busy roadway on the Music City’s famed Broadway street.

“If we had been six inches further out,” Holland said, “I’d be in a hospital right now and so would my wife.”

Holland said he and his spouse were given a green walk signal, but just after they stepped into the crosswalk, Ryan barreled into them with his “over-6,000-pound vehicle.”

“He decided he wanted to turn and didn’t care,” Holland said, “and just ran over both of my feet, my wife’s foot and got her leg too.”

Holland said Ryan didn’t stop at all to check on the two, but they were able to catch up with him a few moments later after he got caught up in traffic down the street.

Holland claimed that he pounded on Ryan’s window and the ESPN analyst then “got out and confronted us.”

“He was told in no uncertain terms what he had done,” Holland said of their encounter, “and instead of staying at the scene or even saying, ‘Sorry,’ he just got back in his vehicle and took off.”

Holland said he then dialed 911, and EMS and police officers rushed to the scene.

Holland had hoped authorities would arrest Ryan because he believed the 63-year-old “was really going to hurt somebody.”

“I mean, just another inch or two, and his mirror or bumper would have taken off [my wife’s] knee,” Holland said. “His tire literally was like so close to her that it scraped her leg and ran over her feet and both of my feet. You just can’t do that.”

However, Holland said police told him they needed to verify the incident by reviewing surveillance video from the scene before taking any action.

A County of Davidson affidavit obtained by The Post stated the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department was able to review footage of the incident, and six warrants charging Ryan with counts of leaving the scene of an accident, failure to give information/render aid, and failure to obey a traffic control signal were ultimately filed.

Ryan turned himself in to law enforcement on Wednesday and was released on $6,000 bond. He’s due in court for a hearing on the matter on Dec. 18.

Holland told The Post he had no idea who he and his wife were dealing with until he read Ryan’s license plate.

“His license plate is ‘HITQBS’ and it’s a New York plate,” said Holland, who added the tag was adorned by a New York Jets license plate holder.

“That’s how I figured it out the next morning. I told police he kind of looked like the ex-Jets coach but I didn’t even remember his name at that point in time. And then I really looked at the license plate later and the next morning I’m like, ‘Oh, my God, I think that really was him.’ And then we did some research and figured he lives in Nashville. I’m like, ‘That’s crazy.’”

Holland called the whole matter “shocking” and “really scary,” and explained that he and his wife are still dealing with some painful aftereffects from the situation.

“My wife has already lost one of her toenails; I’m probably going to lose a couple of mine,” he said. “Her leg is kind of scraped up … it hurt.”

Holland said he’s now likely to head in for X-rays on his feet soon.

When reached for comment on Friday on Holland’s claims, Ryan’s lawyer, David Raybin, told The Post, “I appreciate you calling me about this but I don’t have any comment on the allegations.”