MONTICELLO – One person was arrested and another is sought after discovery of an active methamphetamine lab in eastern Wayne County October 5.
Brittany E. Shrum, 25, of Cumberland Drive, Somerset, was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine by Operation UNITE. Shrum’s boyfriend, Scotty Cowan of the Frazer community of Wayne County, fled from scene as police arrived.
Deputies with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office were investigating a complaint in the area of Bill Bertram Road off KY 90 near the Pulaski County line when they spotted brake lights of a vehicle in a field.
As they pulled up the deputies saw a woman with two children parked near a Buick Century, later identified as belonging to Shrum’s family. Both Shrum and Cowan attempted to run into the woods but Shrum was quickly taken into custory.
According to police, the woman with the children said she was trying to find a gas container, and that there was one in the Buick’s trunk.
Also in the trunk was an HCL generator and other items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of an active one-step meth lab under the car, a loaded syringe and bottle of unknown pills among other items.
The syringe and pills will be sent for analysis and additional charges are possible.
No charges are expected against the woman and, as a precaution, Wayne County EMS was called to check out the two children.
UNITE detectives were called to handle further investigation and to clean up the meth lab.