A Washington man was arrested following a traffic stop in Yreka, one day after deputies seized more than 2,200 pounds of marijuana along Interstate 5.
ARREST DETAILS
Arrested: Juan Collado Penazola, 44, of Washington state
Date: October 22, 2026
Location: Northern Yreka, California
Seized: 99.64 pounds (45,165 grams) of methamphetamine
Vehicle: 2019 Chevrolet Suburban
Charges:
Possession of Methamphetamine for Sale
Transportation of Methamphetamine for Sale
Investigating Agencies: Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office and North State Major Investigation Team (NSMIT)
YREKA, Calif. — A traffic stop in northern Yreka led to the seizure of nearly 100 pounds of methamphetamine and the arrest of a 44-year-old Washington man, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office.
On Thursday, October 22, a sheriff's sergeant traveling through northern Yreka during a heavy rainstorm noticed a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban driving erratically and initiated a traffic stop.
The driver was identified as Juan Collado Penazola, 44, of Washington state. While speaking with Penazola, the sergeant noticed a small bag containing a crystalline substance on the vehicle's center console.
According to the Sheriff's Office, a subsequent consent search of the vehicle uncovered a large box concealed in the back seat containing numerous vacuum-sealed bags of suspected narcotics.
The North State Major Investigation Team (NSMIT) was called to process and test the substances, confirming approximately 45,165 grams, or 99.64 pounds, of methamphetamine.
Investigators said Penazola later acknowledged making multiple trips between Bakersfield, California, and Washington state to deliver narcotics.
Penazola was arrested on suspicion of violating California Health and Safety Code sections 11378(a) and 11379(a), involving possession of methamphetamine for sale and transportation for sale.
The arrest marked the second major drug seizure reported by the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office involving traffic stops on consecutive days. On October 21, a sheriff's sergeant stopped a pickup towing a U-Haul trailer on Interstate 5 and discovered 2,254 pounds of illegally transported marijuana. The driver, 36-year-old Omar Jacob Gonzalez, was arrested on marijuana-related charges.
Authorities have not indicated that the two cases are connected.
The Sheriff's Office did not release an estimated street value for the seized methamphetamine or additional details about the suspected distribution operation.
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