Published: November 10, 2009 08:32 am      

Police chase mobile meth lab

Two men arrested early Monday after multi-county pursuit

By Carl Keith Greene / Staff Writer

An unlit headlight sent a London man and a Mount Vernon man to custody in the Rockcastle County Detention Center in the early hours of Monday.

As it turned out, the Toyota truck that was finally stopped in Laurel County, following a pursuit south on U.S. 25 from Livingston, turned out to be carrying methamphetamine manufacturing materials.

Earlier, Rockcastle County sheriff’s deputies had spotted the truck with its darkened headlight and attempted to stop it.

The alleged driver, Ford J. Wagers, 24, of London, and passenger Frankie L. Powell, 29, of Mount Vernon, attempted to evade the deputies who gave chase.

Eventually, Kentucky State Police, a Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officer and Laurel Sheriff’s deputies joined Rockcastle deputies in the chase.

Once the fleeing truck was well into Laurel County, police placed spike strips in the road, deflating all of its tires.

The flat tires did not stop the fleeing driver, however. About 10 miles into the county at about 1 a.m., the truck attempted to turn eastward off U.S. 25.

Its forward motion was finally stopped when it, according to the Laurel Sheriff’s Department, “crashed into an incline of railroad rock and railway,” where KY 3434, The Old Richmond Road, crosses the CSX right-of-way at Pittsburg, north of London.

The pair exited the truck and attempted to run away. They were chased down on foot by officers.

A search of the truck found items used in the making of meth. Laurel’s public safety department took the items from the truck.

The mobile meth lab pair was taken into custody and removed to the Rockcastle jail.

London’s Wagers was charged with 13 offenses, including driving with a single headlight, speeding, reckless driving, rear license plate not illuminated, driving on a suspended license, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failing to maintain vehicle insurance, possessing drug paraphernalia, first-degree fleeing or evading police in a motor vehicle, first-degree fleeing or evading police on foot, tampering with physical evidence, first-degree possessing meth and resisting arrest.

Mount Vernon’s Powell was charged with six offenses, including public intoxication from drugs, first-degree fleeing or evading police on foot, resisting arrest, tampering with physical evidence, first-offense possessing drug paraphernalia and first-degree unlawful possession of meth precursor.

Each is held on $30,000 bond.