Taunton Fentanyl Dealer Who Crashed Into Police Cruiser Sentenced

TAUNTON — A 39-year-old fentanyl and cocaine dealer who crashed into a state police cruiser trying to flee from a drug bust while out on bail last year has admitted to multiple drug and gun crimes.

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office said Luis Garcia Rodriguez of Taunton will spend up to six years in state prison after pleading guilty Friday to charges including assault and battery, cocaine and fentanyl trafficking, and others.

A state police narcotics task force found Rodriguez was selling fentanyl and other drugs in the Brockton/Taunton area in 2021-2022, according to the D.A.'s office.

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Rodriguez was using his Bay Street apartment in Taunton as a stash house, which was searched by state police after around eight controlled drug purchases and a GPS warrant on his vehicle.

The dealer, his apartment, and his vehicle were all searched during a drug bust in January 2022.

Rodriguez was driving his girlfriend's car despite having a suspended license when a trooper tried to pull them over for the search.

As the trooper was walking up, Rodriguez backed up at high speed, crashing into a state police cruiser hard enough to deploy the airbags.

He then sped away before pulling into a driveway and fleeing on foot.

After he was caught and arrested, state police found a bag that he had hidden contained a high capacity 9mm handgun loaded with 17 bullets, along with around 33 grams of fentanyl and 18 grams of cocaine.

Inside Rodriguez's apartment police found a loaded .22 caliber handgun in the bedroom, along with around 33 grams of fentanyl and 53 grams of cocaine.

They also found and seized nearly $3,600 in cash.

Rodriguez pleaded guilty to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, reckless operation, carrying an illegal and high-capacity firearm as well as ammunition, and fentanyl and cocaine trafficking charges.

He was sentenced to serve four to six years in state prison, with one year of supervised probation following his release.

"At the time of this incident, the defendant was out on bail for drug trafficking, and has prior convictions that include drug dealing," noted Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn.

"Yet he continues to traffic in drugs, possess illegal firearms and endanger the lives of officers trying to apprehend him."

Quinn added, "He clearly is a danger to the public and needed to be taken off the streets to protect the community."

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