Five Beatrice Residents Accused of Manufacturing Meth

By: 1011 News Email

Updated: Fri 10:39 PM, Aug 13, 2010

News Release from Beatrice Police Department

On Thursday, August 12 at 10:53 a.m. the Beatrice Police Department responded to 904 N. 5th Street to preserve the peace. While at the residence, officers located an active methamphetamine lab in the garage. The area was secured and all nearby residents were evacuated for their safety. Located at 904 N. 5th Street were five individuals. Those individuals were evacuated from the residence and transported to the Beatrice Community Hospital for decontamination due to the hazardous chemicals associated with methamphetamine labs.

The Beatrice Community Hospital along with the Gage County Emergency Management personnel, established a decontamination zone at the hospital. Once the five individuals were decontaminated and cleared medically, they were transported to the Gage County Detention Center. Andrea Carlson 41, Ashley Connolly 19, Zach Lyons 18, Chelsey Retchless 18, all of Beatrice were lodged and booked on the charge of manufacturing methamphetamine. Four law enforcement officers were also exposed to hazardous chemicals at the residence and were also decontaminated at the Beatrice Community Hospital.

A search warrant was issued for the residence. SEADE (South East Drug Enforcement) Task Force, Gage County Sheriff's Office, Nebraska State Patrol CLAN Lab Team, Beatrice Fire and Rescue, Gage County Emergency Management, and Jefferson County Sheriff's Office assisted Beatrice Police Department in neutralization and clean up of the meth lab. American Red Cross provided food and water to all individuals assisting in the clean up due to the heat and length of the operation.

The SEADE Task Force is a federally funded task force administered by the Nebraska Crime Commission.

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