HAMPTON, Va. — Police arrested the driver of a truck that was at the center of an investigation into what officers and fire investigators initially thought was a mobile meth lab Tuesday.
By early afternoon, fire investigators determined there was no mobile meth lab, but Robert Comer, 36, was charged with Simple Possession of a Controlled Substance (Schedule II Narcotic).
Hampton police and fire crews were in the parking lot of The Woodlands Golf Course along Woodland Road for a "potential hazmat situation."
Emergency dispatchers received a call about it just before 6:30 a.m.
A tweet from the fire and rescue division initially said investigators were looking into "a possible mobile meth lab."
Police had said an officer tried to pull over a pickup truck that was pulling a trailer. The driver of the truck, Comer, didn't stop. There was a slow-speed chase that ended when Comer pulled into the parking lot of the golf course.
Sgt. Amanda Moreland with the Hampton Police Division said the officer “observed precursors to hazardous materials,” such as drugs. Firefighters came for the possible hazmat situation. They found glass containers/jars in the truck and the trailer, which led them to think it could be a mobile meth lab.
Battalion Chief Anthony Chittum of Hampton Fire-Rescue said the production of homemade drugs, such as meth, is very unstable.
"It has explosive hazards. It has the possibility that it could actually poison the individuals," explained Chittum. "It’s an extremely, extremely dangerous chemical compounds.”
Comer and the woman who was his passenger both told the officer they were feeling tired. Although investigators found no trace of meth, police took Comer and the woman into custody. She was not charged.
Woodland Road, which was shut down for hours, reopened by early afternoon and crews were clearing the area.