With methamphetamine being produced in a room, the Days Inn now face a large expenditure before that room may be rented again. In addition, because of the ventilation within a motel, other rooms close by may also have been contaminated.
When Dana and John Christopher Roberts reported they had a meth lab in the Days Inn on Saturday evening, Sheriff's Deputies immediately secured the room and the Bainbridge Hazmat team was called in. The rooms immediately surrounding it were also cleared of guests.
A meth lab creates fumes that are a huge health risk for person's that come in contact. That is the reason a hazmat team is called in to dispose of one. fumes created in the manufacture of meth can permeate mattresses, carpet, walls, etc. making the room a very real health risk.
The Sheriff's Department has notified the Days Inn that federal law dictates the room may NOT be rented until a company specializing in cleaning up a meth lab, comes in, and properly cleans the room.
The Roberts had stayed at the Inn for 16 nights, which for the money spent, could have rented a place to live for several months. Rather, they chose to endanger to lives of motel guests plus create an expense for the Days Inn to clean a now undetermined number of rooms.
In addition, if they used other rooms to manufacture meth, a significant health hazard has been created for future unknowing guests of the Days Inn.
The Robert's told investigators they had cooked meth at the motel before. As of Saturday evening, Sheriff's were not aware of any other rooms that were used in the past to manufacture meth. I would assume this is an issue the Health Department would follow up on as well.
The hazmat team that handled the removal have been certified to deal with a meth lab. They consisted of Public Safety Asst. Fire Chief and Hazmat team leader Doyle Welch, Public Safety Investigator Chris Jordan and Sheriff's Investigator Chip Nix. At the scene with the hazmat team was EMS and Decatur County Fire.
Openings in the suits are taped to assure they are not exposed. EMS checks the teams blood pressure before and after they enter to assure it had not risen for a chemical reason.
They donned their suits and entered the room. They first entered to check any potential danger and did not find an active lab, Next they went in and gathered the items used in the manufacture. They also gathered an amount of liquid, assumed to be meth, plus another 4-5 grams of meth in powdered form.
These items were secured in a box and sealed with a chemical tape and turned over to Sheriff's Investigators. It was close to midnight when they finished.
Major Wendell Cofer was very concerned that in the room adjacent to the meth lab was a family with 3 small children. He stated that in addition to possession and manufacturing meth, 37 year old John Christopher Roberts and 35 year old Dana Roberts, both of Bainbridge, will also be charged with several counts of endangering a child.
