THOUSAND OAKS : Suspected Cocaine Dealer, Woman Held
Ventura County sheriff’s narcotics detectives arrested a suspected cocaine dealer and his companion after a short car chase in Thousand Oaks during which the suspect threw cocaine out the car’s window, deputies said.
Joseph Romagnano, a 21-year-old man identified as a transient, and Regina Estes, 22, of Thousand Oaks were arrested Wednesday near Avenida de las Flores and California 23.
Because their 10-month-old son was in the car at the time, both were arrested on suspicion of child endangerment as well as drug possession, resisting arrest and destruction of evidence, police said.
Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Gary Pentis said detectives began following Romagnano on Wednesday after they received information that Romagnano was selling cocaine while awaiting trial for possession of cocaine from a previous arrest.
Pentis said detectives watched the couple deliver the cocaine to two different locations before they attempted to arrest them.
While police attempted to stop the vehicle that Estes was driving, Romagnano allegedly began throwing cocaine out of a passenger’s window. Detectives forced the car to stop after striking the suspects’ car with their own vehicle.
Pentis said Romagnano jumped from the car and had to be wrestled to the ground.
Romagnano is being held on $250,000 bail in Ventura. Estes is being held on $20,000 bail.
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