Journey Drummer Busted for Roughing Up Girlfriend

Musician is taken into custody after nasty dispute with his ladylove

By Josh Grossberg, Sharareh Drury Jan 26, 2012 6:49 PMTags
Deen Castronovo Ethan Miller/Getty Images

"Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" this wasn't.

Journey touring drummer Deen Castronovo was arrested over the weekend in Oregon on charges he got physical with his girlfriend.

Here's what happened.

A Polk County Jail confirms to E! News that the 46-year-old percussionist was booked there on Saturday after he was taken into custody by Salem police on charges of coercion, assault, criminal mischief, interfering with making a report and harassment.

According to TMZ, Castronovo's legal troubles began after the couple got into a heated argument and the rocker turned violent. Then when the unidentified gal-pal tried to leave the house to call her father, the drummer prevented her from calling by yanking the phone from her hand.

He was later released from the pokey after posting $52,500 bail.

A publicist for Castronovo could not be reached for comment but previously told the website that the Journey man felt the whole thing "was a misunderstanding that should not have been escalated to such a level in the first place."

Castronovo has been playing with Journey since the release of their 2001 album Arrival after first hooking up with members of the band as part of the late '80s supergroup Bad English. Journey released their latest LP, Eclipse, last year.

UPDATE 2/22/12: Castronovo was sentenced to 80 hours' community service and to attend anger management classes as a result of the dispute.