Suspect in Drug Sales Held After Bang-Up Chase

A man described as a “significant” drug trafficker has been arrested after he attempted to run down two federal agents in the Fairfax District during a vain bid for escape in which his car rammed eight other vehicles, authorities said Wednesday.

Investigators said that Dario DiCesare, 46, “managed to injure himself in the process,” suffering a scalp cut, but other than a bump on one federal agent’s head, no other injuries were reported.

Mike Holm, a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, said DiCesare, an Italian citizen who has been living in a $1-million home on Hidden Valley Place in the Hollywood Hills, had been under surveillance for about six months when agents saw him apparently buy some cocaine from three men in the Beverly Hills area at about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

After a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter team joined in the surveillance, DiCesare realized that he was being followed, dumped the cocaine in a trash dumpster and took off at high speed, followed by DEA agents in federal cars, Holm said.

“He saw us attempting to make an arrest,” Holm said. “He had a big Lincoln, and he just started banging into our cars--he totaled one of our cars. I guess he didn’t want to be taken into custody.”

Lincoln Disabled

Officials said the collisions with two federal cars and six other vehicles disabled the Lincoln enough to discourage DiCesare, and he came to a halt at Waring and Orange Grove avenues, where he was arrested.

Holm said the agents DiCesare tried to run down were in one of the federal cars that he rammed.

Twelve kilos of cocaine, valued at about $180,000, were recovered from the dumpster, Holm said.

After treatment for the cut, DiCesare was being held in federal custody.

Multiple Charges

Steve Bushendorf, a DEA group supervisor, said Wednesday that charges of drug trafficking, cocaine possession and assault on federal officers were being prepared against the suspect.

DiCesare was arrested in 1983 at a hotel room in Glendale, where police confiscated 36 pounds of cocaine. Investigators said DiCesare arrived as detectives were searching the room, and he was released without charge because of insufficient evidence.