COP'S SON DIES WEEK AFTER DRUG ARREST

The son of a veteran police officer died in a Brooklyn hospital Friday of
an apparent cocaine overdose, a week after he collapsed while in police
custody, police said yesterday.

Brendan Ancona, 23, was rushed to Long Island College Hospital the morning
of Sept. 21 after he had a massive seizure while in Brooklyn Central
Booking, police said.

Ancona had been taken into custody the night of Sept. 20 at Avenue P and
Hendrickson Street in Marine Park. Police said narcotics officers saw
Ancona get into a car and sell a small amount of marijuana to another man.

The buyer was arrested, police said, and officers .arrested Ancona after a
brief foot chase.

Charged with misdemeanor sale and misdemeanor possession of marijuana,
Ancona was taken to central booking, where he was medically cleared by EMS
personnel, as is standard policy, and placed in a cell.

He had a seizure a short time later and lost consciousness, police said.

EMS rushed him to the hospital, where he was listed in critical condition
until his death at 12:08 p.m. Friday.

Police said a medical examiner will determine the cause of death, but
police sources said Ancona apparently suffered a cocaine overdose that led
to organ failure.

Police said it was not clear when Ancona might have taken cocaine.

Ancona lived less than two blocks from where he was arrested. His mother,
Officer Patricia Ancona, is an 18-year veteran assigned to the 61st
Precinct in Brooklyn.

A friend said he knew Ancona had sold marijuana in the past. "He would
party, but he wasn't a coke head," said the friend, who asked that his name
not be printed. "Honestly, he wasn't a bad kid. He would go out of his way
to help you."

He also said Ancona had worked different jobs, including a recent stint for
a Brooklyn mortgage brokerage.