Officer sniffs out meth items
Traffic stop yields several harmful chemicals in trunk
When the officer noticed the driver was "extremely" intoxicated, he searched the car and discovered multiple chemical compounds and equipment that suggested the car had been used as a mobile meth lab.
The male driver was immediately arrested but remained at the scene at 500 East and 600 South for 2 1/2 hours while police questioned him and the task force examined bags and bottles from the open trunk while wearing full-body chemical protection suits.
"We recognize this guy," said Lt. Rich Ferguson of the task force. "He's been around a lot of years."
The driver, 35 and from Provo, told police he had been carrying the chemicals around since 2002 and had planned to get rid of them "tonight," but couldn't because of his arrest.
Standing mid-road in a cool, stiff breeze, six officers tested and measured the extracted chemicals in small glass jars, then slipped them into evidence bags.
Alone, each chemical is no threat — or illegal — but together they can be "toxic and life-threatening," said a Major Crimes officer at the scene, who cannot be identified because he still works undercover.
"We have (retired) officers dying right now because of this exact stuff," he said.
The handcuffed driver appeared calm as officers transported him from the busy scene. Officers scheduled a forensic nurse to run drug tests at the Utah County Jail, where the man later was booked on drug-related charges.
E-mail: jhancock@desnews.com
Recent comments
Let us know you you've gotten that done.
Great idea! | March 8, 2008 at 10:27 a.m.
They should get rid of meth once and for all.
Jack johnson | March 6, 2008 at 4:02 p.m.
