CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department's newest K9 team discovered methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle during a traffic stop on Thursday.
The team of Officer Travis Lenz and his K9 partner, Dex, found the drugs and arrested 40-year-old Clearlake resident Jerry Jones during the stop, according to a report from Sgt. Rodd Joseph.
Just after 3 p.m. Thursday Lenz conducted a traffic stop on a maroon GMC pickup in the area of 31st Avenue and Boyles Avenue for a simple vehicle code violation, Joseph said.
The driver, identified as Jones, had symptoms of recent controlled substance use. There also was an adult female passenger in the vehicle with Jones.
Based on Jones’ symptomatology of recent drug use, Joseph said Lenz conducted an under-the-influence investigation.
At the completion of the investigation, Jones was arrested for being under the influence of a central nervous system stimulant, Joseph said. The female passenger was released at the scene.
Joseph said Lenz conducted a search of the vehicle incident to arrest with Dex, who is a cross-trained narcotic and protection K9.
Dex alerted to the presence of contraband in the vehicle’s gear shift selector, Joseph said.
Lenz examined the gear shift selector and discovered a hidden compartment. Upon further inspection, the hidden compartment was found to contain more than 3.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, Joseph said.
Jones ultimately was arrested for a misdemeanor violation of being under the influence of a controlled substance and several felony violations including transporting a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale and having a hidden compartment in a motor vehicle, Joseph said.
The vehicle Jones had been driving was impounded. Joseph said Jones later was booked into the Lake County Jail.
Joseph said Dex and Lenz graduated K9 training approximately two weeks ago, and this is the K9 team’s first narcotic find.