A Madison County motel was evacuated Wednesday morning after a meth lab was discovered in one of the rooms overnight.
Police say it appears a group of people rented out one motel room at the Bel Air on Lexington Road to house their meth-making operation. The group also rented out both neighboring rooms in what detectives suspect was an attempt to create a buffer between their operation and any other guests.
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Firefighters were called out to the motel around 1:00 a.m. Wednesday morning on reports of a chemical smell. Once they arrived, they found seven people across three motel rooms contaminated by “hazardous materials,” firefighters said. Officials said there were several one-step meth labs in plain view inside a room.
Those people were taken to the hospital to be decontaminated, and then taken to be questioned by authorities. Meanwhile, others in the motel also had to be removed as firefighters began cleaning up the room where the meth lab had been set up.
“I don’t think they were actively cooking,” said Richmond Police Assistant Chief Bob Mott. “There were several reaction vessels that had been in there. Looks they had been cooking over a period of days at least, maybe even longer than that.”
Authorities say most of those who were decontaminated will likely be charged. No others staying at the motel were contaminated, say Richmond Police.
Anthony Debord, 44; Carolyn Eckler, 33 and Bobbi L. Evans, 30, were charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.
Douglas Pearson, 24 and Amber Dean, 21, were charged with complicity to manufacturing methamphetamine.
