Bridgeport Man Arrested on Cocaine, Vehicle Charges

A Bridgeport man was arrested on narcotics and motor vehicle charges after a police officer allegedly saw him speeding on Barnum Avenue Cutoff early Tuesday morning.

According to a police report, an officer saw a Honda Civic operating at a high rate of speed and missing a front license plate around 2 a.m. on Aug. 9, but the vehicle reportedly vanished before the officer could catch up to it.

A short time later, the officer found the same vehicle in the Stratford Square shopping center parking lot, but he could not locate the driver, the report said. 

However, a short time after that the officer reportedly returned and saw the Honda exiting the parking lot at which point he pulled it over.

The motorist, Luis Cepeda, 44, of 106 Judson Place, Bridgeport, appeared nervous, the report said. He was arrested after he dropped a plastic baggie containing a white substance that a test confirmed was cocaine, according to the report. 

Cepeda also allegedly had $1,553 in small bills in his pockets and a large quantity of baggies in the car. Police seized the cash as possible drug trafficking money.

Cepeda was charged with possession of cocaine, failure to display front plate, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, operating without insurance, misuse of plates and operating with a suspended license.

He was held initially on $5,000 bond, but later released, and is scheduled for a court appearance on Aug. 24.

Questions about this police report may be directed to jason.bagley@patch.com.