Officers bust meth lab at Elgin home
ELGIN — What started as a traffic stop for a minor violation ended with the arrest of a couple who lived nearby after law enforcement officers discovered a clandestine methamphetamine lab inside their home.
According to a news release by the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, David Paul Davidson and his wife, Sylvia Davidson, were arrested following a short investigation Tuesday (Feb. 12) evening.
The release stated that Sgt. David Woodard and K-9 Officer Kris Lewallen stopped Davidson at the intersection of State Hwy. 52 and West Robbins Road for a traffic violation.
“After speaking with the driver, Sgt. Woodard became suspicious that the driver was involved in some type of criminal activity due to his nervousness and erratic driving behaviors,” the release stated.
Woodard requested Officer Lewallen to “run the vehicle” with his K-9, “J.J.” The dog allegedly alerted officers to the presence of drugs in the vehicle. Officers then allegedly recovered a meth pipe with residue on it, as well as three small bags of methamphetamine.
Allegedly, Davidson told the officers that he had just left his residence and had several items at his home that he used to manufacture methamphetamine. He gave officers written consent to search his residence, the release stated.
Upon arriving at the residence, the officers spoke to Sylvia Davidson, at which point they allegedly “smelled a strong odor of chemicals coming from inside the house.” Lewallen described the smell as being “so strong that it made his eyes water.”
The officers requested the assistance of Sheriff Anthony Lay and K-9 Officer Danny Phillips, both of whom — along with Lewallen — are certified as clandestine laboratory technicians. Chief Deputy Bobby Ellis and Grant Lowe of the Southeast Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force also responded to the scene to assist officers.
Inside the home, officers allegedly discovered a medium-sized red phosphorus meth lab in the kitchen.
The Davidsons were arrested and arraigned in General Sessions Court last week. They were charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and felony possession of methamphetamine. Their residence is under quarantine until it is deemed safe for public occupancy, as is standard for buildings where methamphetamine labs are discovered.
On Wednesday, a third person was arrested in connection with the laboratory. April Miske, of Nydeck Road in Glenmary, was charged with promoting the manufacture of methamphetamine following an investigation by the Sheriff’s Department and the Methamphetamine Task Force. Allegedly, Miske admitted to officers that she had purchased pseudoephedren, a common ingredient of methamphetamine, for Davidson.
“The Sheriff’s Department has worked with the meth task force to visit homes that have purchased large amounts of pseudoephedren from businesses,” Lay said. “Since the law came into effect, requiring customers to sign for pseudoephedren, it has made it easier for police to target labs.
“Law enforcement has experienced a lot of people who buy pseudoephedren to trade it for a small amount of already made meth,” Lay added.