Former Kenner Mayor Phil Capitano arrested, accused of ramming woman's car

quote:

---

Former Kenner Mayor Phil Capitano was arrested Sunday after authorities say he used his vehicle to ram the back of a woman's car during a dispute over allegedly stolen property.

Capitano, 54, was booked with aggravated criminal damage to property, said Lt. Michael Cunningham, a spokesman for the Kenner Police Department.

Capitano, also a former member of the Kenner City Council, was elected mayor in 2004 to complete the unfinished term of Louis Congemi, who had won a seat on the Jefferson Parish Council. Capitano lost his re-election bid to Ed Muniz in 2006. He ran again in 2010 and lost to Mike Yenni.

Jennifer Ramsey, 39, the woman whose car was damaged, is the ex-girlfriend of Capitano's nephew, according to authorities. She was booked with criminal trespassing, authorities said.

The nephew, who was not identified by police, called Capitano over to his apartment in the 300 block of Clemson Street in Kenner after finding Ramsey inside the residence, removing "disputed community property," Cunningham said.

Capitano used his vehicle to block Ramsey's car in the apartment parking lot. He was trying to stop her from leaving with the property, Cunningham said.

But Ramsey maneuvered around Capitano's car and drove off. Capitano began following her, authorities said. That pursuit continued alomg several streets and into a store parking lot where Ramsey briefly hid until Capitano spotted her and pulled in behind her vehicle, according to Cunningham.


The woman drove off, again, followed by Capitano. She accused him of ramming into the rear of her vehicle. Ramsey and Capitano called police.

Capitano accused of the woman of causing the accident by slamming on her brakes. Officers arrested him on the criminal damage charge.

---