LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A vehicle stop Wednesday morning resulted in three arrests and the seizure of marijuana and methamphetamine.
Arrested following the stop were Jonetta Marie John, 24, of Lakeport; August Chester Mota, 22, of Santa Rosa; and Yunuen Yadira Ojeda, 31, of Lakeport, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
At 4:30 a.m. Wednesday a deputy was patrolling in the Upper Lake area and heading westbound on Highway 20 when he noticed a Buick sedan driving westbound in front of him, Brooks said.
The deputy noticed the vehicle was speeding and in violation of other vehicle code violations, and activated his emergency lights to conduct an enforcement stop, according to Brooks.
Brooks said the vehicle continued to travel southbound on Highway 29 at a slower speed, but failed to yield. The deputy could see four occupants inside the vehicle making furtive movements, as if they were trying to hide items.
The driver of the vehicle drove past several suitable locations to pull over, before turning onto Tule Lake Road. The vehicle continued approximately 100 yards, as each of the passengers continued making furtive movements, Brooks said.
Prior to the vehicle coming to a complete stop, the occupant positioned in the rear passenger seat opened the door and fled down an embankment. The occupant was described as a male Caucasian adult, approximately 25 years old, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and beige shorts, according to Brooks.
Brooks said the deputy had the remaining three occupants exit the vehicle. He contacted the driver of the vehicle, who was identified as John, who he noticed exhibited signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance.
The deputy also contacted Mota and Ojeda, who Brooks said were the remaining passengers in the vehicle. The deputy noticed that both Mota and Ojeda also exhibited signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance.
The deputy conducted a search of the vehicle and located two capped syringes and a metal spoon. The spoon contained a white residue, consistent in appearance to methamphetamine. He also located a paper bindle containing a white crystalline substance, which was also consistent in appearance to methamphetamine, according to Brooks.
A small amount of marijuana was located in the vehicle. All of the aforementioned items were seized as evidence. Deputies conducted an extensive search of the area for the individual who ran from the vehicle, with negative results.
John was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, being under the influence of a controlled substance and driving without a license. Mota was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. Ojeda was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia. All three were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, Brooks said.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.