Update: A Toano man faces several charges after police say he was involved in a crash while driving a mobile meth lab.
Robert C. Copley Jr., 37, of the 9000 block of Richmond Road was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of marijuana, according to a Facebook post on the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office page.
Police say Copley was driving a minivan that was a mobile meth lab when he was involved in a crash in York County Thursday. He’s the second person charged.
Jennifer Kendrick, 27, of Norfolk, was a passenger in the minivan who was charged with possession of meth, police said.
Copley and Kendrick are being held at Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail in James City County, police said.
On Friday, Copley said he did not want to be interviewed by reporters, according to a regional jail spokesperson.
Update: Oct. 6, 4:30 p.m.
A house on Richmond Road in James City County was searched by six agencies Thursday afternoon, county police said.
The house, in the 7000 block of Richmond Road in Toano, was searched by the James City County Police and Fire Departments, Tri-Rivers Drug Task Force, Virginia State Police, Newport News Fire Department Hazmat Team and Virginia Department of Emergency Management, police said.
The home was connected to the investigation into a mobile meth lab discovered after a car crash in York County, police said.
A Norfolk woman, 27-year-old Jennifer Kendrick, was arrested and charged with possession of meth after that crash, police said.
James City County police spokeswoman Stephanie Williams said the department was asked to search the home because a person arrested by the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office earlier in the day lived there. She could not confirm whether that person Kendrick.
She said the agencies were just searching the house, not looking for anything in particular, but were aware of the risk of finding more materials used to create meth.
Williams said officials didn’t find anything inside the house.
That house is also near Toano Middle School, but students and staff were never in danger, police said.
Previously:
Authorities investigating a car wreck in York County found a mobile meth lab in a mini van, according the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office.
The crash involved two vehicles and occurred Thursday about 7:05 a.m. in the 8000 block of Route 17 southbound, near Battle Road.
Deputies who responded to the crash thought that smells coming from one of the vehicles were akin to the smell of production, deputies said.
The deputies then called the York County Fire and Life Safety Hazmat team and the Tri-Rivers Narcotics Task Force to help investigate the scene.
Personnel from the Tri-Rivers Narcotics Task Force found an active meth lab in a mini van that was in the crash. Materials found in the lab included chemicals for producing methamphetamine, containers actively cooking methamphetamine, methamphetamine, a syringe and small amount of marijuana, deputies said.
Investigation of the scene shut down the portion of Route 17 southbound between Battle Road and Fort Eustis for about three hours.
A deputy was also taken to the hospital after he was exposed to fumes from the chemicals in the lab, and his injuries are not considered life-threatening, officials said.
Jennifer Kendrick, 27, of the 9400 block of Selby Place in Norfolk, was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, deputies said. Kendrick is being held without bond in the Peninsula Regional Jail.
Deputies said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending.
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