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Three arrested following traffic stop

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Deegan F. Baker
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A routine traffic stop Monday night resulted in three arrests — including one for battery on a law enforcement officer — after officers say they found drugs tossed from the vehicle and a gun under the front seat. Officers conducted the stop in the 4600 block of Country Club Boulevard after they saw the driver run through a stop sign, a release from the Cape Coral Police Department issued Tuesday states.  The officer also reportedly saw "baggies of contraband being thrown out of the car before it finally came to a stop.
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A routine traffic stop Monday night resulted in three arrests — including one for battery on a law enforcement officer — after officers say they found drugs tossed from the vehicle and a gun under the front seat. Officers conducted the stop in the 4600 block of Country Club Boulevard after they saw the driver run through a stop sign, a release from the Cape Coral Police Department issued Tuesday states.  The officer also reportedly saw "baggies of contraband being thrown out of the car before it finally came to a stop.

A routine traffic stop Monday night resulted in three arrests – including one for battery on a law enforcement officer – after officers say they found drugs tossed from the vehicle and a gun under the front seat.

Officers conducted the stop in the 4600 block of Country Club Boulevard after they saw the driver run through a stop sign, a release from the Cape Coral Police Department issued Tuesday states. The officer also reportedly saw “baggies of contraband being thrown out of the car before it finally came to a stop.”

“Officers were able to note the location of the contraband and four bags of cocaine were recovered,” officials said.

Police then conducted both a narcotics investigation and a DUI investigation.

The driver, identified as Deegan F. Baker, 31, of 4166 Castilla Cir. #106, Fort Myers, was charged with DUI – refusal and carrying concealed firearm. A Kahr CW40 .40 caliber handgun was recovered from under the driver’s seat, police said.

Both passengers were arrested as well.

Mark S. Smith, 30, of 313 Cape Coral Pkwy E. #4, Cape Coral, provided a false name to officers and had an active warrant for his arrest for failure to appear. He was charged with providing a false name to law enforcement officer, failure to appear and possession of cocaine as well as battery of a law enforcement officer.

“During the investigation he struck one of the officers at the scene. He was charged accordingly,” police said.

Benjamin M. Coppens, 29, of 6936 Essex Dr., Fort Myers, was charged with possession of cocaine.

As of early Tuesday afternoon, Coppens had been released from the Lee County Jail on a $5,000 bond. Baker and Smith remained in custody.

Source: Cape Coral Police Department