Clearlake Couple Arrested During Napa DUI Sweep

 

A couple from Clearlake were arrested over the weekend on suspicion of manufacturing drugs after a traffic stop at a Napa Police DUI checkpoint.

Elizabeth Cortez, 32, and Ruben Cortez Jr., 28, were taken into custody at about 8:30 p.m. Friday at 2475 Jefferson St., Napa, on the suspected charges, which also included willful cruelty to a child.

According to police, Elizabeth Cortez drove her vehicle with three children under 11 years old and her husband, Ruben Cortez, into the DUI checkpoint at Jefferson Street at George Street.

An officer noticed the vehicle had a strong odor of marijuana coming from it. The officer searched the vehicle and located over 27 grams of suspected concentrated marijuana ("honey oil"), a honey oil conversion lab, 54 morphine pills and over 200 grams of marijuana, police said.

Evidence of drug sales was also located in the vehicle, police allege.

The couple were arrested and booked into Napa County Department of Corrections.

Children’s Protective Services took custody of the children