A passenger on a small plane has been charged with trying to dispose of a kilo of cocaine after the plane made an emergency landing on a California highway, the United States Attorney's Office announced in a press release.
Troy Othneil Smith, 36, is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute; This federal charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Smith was a passenger on a Piper PA-28 Cherokee single-engine plane that flew from California to Arizona on September 25. After a brief stop, the plane departed Mesa and returned to California.
At about 1:28 a.m. on September 26, the plane began experiencing problems over the Pacific Ocean and made a U-turn, heading toward the town of Oceanside, about 80 miles from Los Angeles. “The pilot and passenger were planning to land in the ocean when the aircraft appeared to shut down and malfunctioned,” the press release said. “Once the plane and engine started working again, they were able to turn the plane over the ocean.”
The plane made an “unexpected” landing on Highway 76 around 1:39 a.m., and officers responded four minutes later.
“Officers at the scene noticed Smith was wearing a backpack and pacing near the aircraft,” according to the statement. An officer told Smith to move away from the aircraft, at which point he turned his attention away from Smith.
Moments later, the officer “heard a backpack being unzipped” and “turned his attention to Smith, who was near the guardrail on the highway. The officer observed Smith reach into the backpack, pull out something, and place it in the bushes.” When they searched the bush, they “found a heat-sealed, airtight package lying on the ground in the bushes.” The package, which weighed just over two pounds, tested positive for cocaine and Smith was immediately arrested.
“I think narcotics are coming into our country through a variety of avenues,” Oceanside Deputy Police Chief and former narcotics officer Taurino Valdovinos said at a press conference announcing the arrests in September. “I think what's surprising is the emergency landing and how we encountered it.”
Smith is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 31 for a preliminary hearing and arraignment.