(CALEDONIA) A speeding stop on Interstate 90 turned into a major drug and firearm arrest early Tuesday morning in Columbia County — with a young child in the back seat.
A Columbia County sheriff’s deputy clocked a vehicle going 95 miles per hour in a 70 mph zone around 1:30 a.m. in the Town of Caledonia, according to the sheriff’s office.
When the deputy pulled the vehicle over, he found a child sleeping on the floor in the back seat without a safety restraint.
During the stop, K9 Rico alerted to the presence of drugs. A search of the vehicle uncovered THC, drug paraphernalia tied to suspected trafficking, and a loaded gun within reach of the driver.
Investigators believed the driver was also hiding drugs. At the Columbia County Jail, authorities say about 42 grams of suspected fentanyl were found concealed on her during the intake process.
The driver, 21-year-old Estrella Heredia Juarez of Crest Hill, Illinois, is now charged with possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
She made an initial court appearance Wednesday and was released on a $500 signature bond.
