Booked
Angry Journey Drummer Charged With Rape
Arena-rock drummer Deen Castronovo, who’s been with the classic rock band since 1998, has a history of violence against women.
Jason Merritt/Getty
Tuesday is the Journey drummer’s day in court—and the charges include rape and sexual abuse.
Deen Castronovo, who started playing with arena-rock giants Journey in 1998 and has also worked with Ozzy Osbourne and Paul Rodgers, was arrested earlier this month for assault during a domestic dispute at his Oregon home. The Salem Police Department booked him on charges of coercion, assault, and menacing, and released him on bail. (Journey subsequently removed him from the lineup of their current tour.) On Tuesday, TMZ reported that the charges now include sexual violence.
“We arrested him a couple weeks ago after a domestic violence investigation,” Lieutenant Dave Okada of the Salem police told The Daily Beast. “He had since been released. [On Monday], he was arrested for violation of that release agreement, and additional charges followed after that.” Okada confirmed that the new charges include rape. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s inmate and offender rosters also list four counts of fourth-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and second-degree sexual abuse. (A representative for Castronovo could not be reached for comment.)
In 2012, Castronovo was arrested for attacking his girlfriend after he accused her of cheating on him. He was sentenced to 80 hours of community service and ordered to take anger-management classes.
Castronovo also recently made news when he cut a $10,000 check to South Albany High School shortly after an arsonist destroyed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of the music department’s instruments and gear. He showed up to greet a crowd of applauding students and staff. He told press that it was good to see how the kids hadn’t “lost all their faith in things,” which—when prompted by a reporter—unsurprisingly reminded him of Journey’s hit song “Don’t Stop Believin’.” And in 2009, he donated equipment, including an autographed drum set, to the Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion, and Polk counties.
“Journey loves doing these kind of things,” Castronovo said. “We’re a very giving band…For me to give back to the community helps me keep my sobriety. It gives me an outlet and keeps me clean and sober.” (The Boys & Girls Club branch did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
Maybe he should be doing more philanthropy.