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from The Telegraph
November 22, 2007
Meth fumes sicken Alton detective
Occupant of home expected to face charges
By LINDA N. WELLER
The Telegraph
ALTON — An Alton detective was stricken by fumes Wednesday in a house where a man allegedly had “cooked” methamphetamine, with police arresting the suspect and a visitor.
The detective, Sgt. Gary Cranmer, was treated at Alton Memorial Hospital’s emergency room and released, said Lt. David Hayes, chief of detectives for the Alton Police Department.
Hayes said he expects the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office to charge the 30-year-old suspect Monday.
Hayes said the suspect had moved from Madison to the house in the 1300 block of Rixon Street about four months ago. He admitted to manufacturing the highly addictive drug the entire time, although detectives did not find any methamphetamine cooking equipment, Hayes said.
He said he does not know whether the 35-year-old Granite City man visiting the suspect at his home also would face charges. Hayes said authorities recovered pipes containing methamphetamine, a firearm and ammunition from the house.
Manufacture of the drug is a dangerous process, putting the maker, anyone in his or her house and even neighbors at risk of injury or death from fumes, explosion and fire.
“Anytime they mess with the manufacture of methamphetamine, it is a volatile situation,” Hayes said.
He said neighbors had complained about the house, prompting police to put it on a list of residences to visit during the monthly Nuisance Abatement Task Force round Wednesday. The multi-component task force involves police, city code inspectors and animal control officers visiting properties in Alton on which they receive complaints for code violations and suspected drug activity.
The city attorney and prosecutors also are part of the task force.
Adding to neighbors’ tips, Hayes said an agent from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration office in St. Louis notified Alton detectives Monday that the suspect had been buying iodine and other chemical “precursors for manufacturing methamphetamine” in the Maryville area.
The DEA tracks people’s purchases of items used to make the highly addictive methamphetamine, including antihistamines containing pseudoephedrine.
Hayes said members of the task force went to the house at 9:30 a.m. and saw a city-owned, “street closed” sign on the front porch, which alone could bring a felony theft charge. Police knocked on the door, and the suspect “consented to a cursory search,” Hayes said, allowing the entourage to come inside.
During the “knock-and-talk,” Cranmer and detective Seth Stinnett went into the basement, where Cranmer was overcome by fumes, Hayes said.
“There were chemical remnants and enough of an odor” to make the detective ill, he said.
Such homes have to be professionally cleaned by a hazardous waste crew.
A police supervisor drove Cranmer to the hospital, Hayes said. Police called in the Alton Fire Department to ventilate the building. Hayes said firefighters wore self-contained breathing apparatus and used a gas-powered fan.
Police also asked the Illinois State Police’s Methamphetamine Response Team to come clear out toxic substances in the house, which they did, and obtained a search warrant for the house.
Hayes said no children were living in the house.
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