A hazmat team assisted twice in recent days as officers with the drug task force and Escambia County Sheriff’s Department cleaned up two different methamphetamine labs.

The meth labs were part of several investigations late last week that netted eight arrests.

Arrested Oct. 7 at 1573 Manning Road in the Huxford community were Timothy Scott Sims, 41; William Allen Hall, 33; and Erica Lynn White, 25. Hall is a resident at the address.

Escambia County Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said officers with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department went to the Manning Road home on a warrant for Sims.

“When the officers arrived at the home, contact was made with Sims,” Lambert said. “Sims and two other people were in the home at the time. As officers took Sims into custody, they noticed needles/syringes in the room. As Sims was searched officers found two bags of what they believed to be crystal meth.”

Lambert said Sims is on federal probation and had served time in federal custody on two other occasions.

“Hall gave us consent to search the home at the time of the arrests,” Lambert said. “The search resulted in officers finding pills and other syringes in the home. Two firearms and ammunition were also found at the residence.”

Lambert said the three suspects were taken into custody without incident.

Sims is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia; third-degree domestic violence – menacing; and third-degree domestic violence – reckless endangerment.

Hall is charged with possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

White is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

That investigation led officers to a residence at 188 Homewood Lane in Huxford. Arrested there was James Thomas Smith, 41, of 211 14th Ave., Atmore.

“When (officers) arrived, contact was made with Smith in the yard of the home,” Lambert said. “He went inside and came back out to surrender a substance believed to be crystal methamphetamine.”

Smith consented to a search of the home, Lambert said. “During the search of the home, officers discovered what is believed to be the remnants of a meth lab,” Lambert said. “There were precursor chemicals in the area as well.”

DEA officials responded from Mobile and a hazardous materials crew came from Birmingham. “The cleanup took several hours to complete,” Lambert said.

Smith was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Lambert said other charges may be pending.

In an Oct. 8 incident, three people were arrested at 2404 Ross Road in Huxford, when the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department received a call from a drug-hot line reporting a subject at was contemplating suicide, Lambert said.

Arrested were Gregory Adam Hadley, 27, 2881 Hwy. 21; Keisha Angeleta Hadley, 28, 2404 Ross Road; and Edward Harrison, 39, 1155 Jack Springs Road.

Lambert said officers asked to search the home to make sure everything was secure.

“Our officers entered the home to find another adult and three children in the home,” Lambert said. “As officers continued through the home, they discovered items that appeared to be constant with a meth lab.”

Gregory Hadley, Keisha Angeleta Hadley and Harrison were all charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance-prescription medications; unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia; and endangering the welfare of a child.

Lambert said the unlawful manufacturing charge is a class A felony charge and is enhanced due to children being present in the home.

Lambert said DEA officials were called to the scene as well as a clean up crew from Birmingham. The case remains under investigation.

An eighth arrest was made Oct. 9 at a license checkpoint situated at Poarch and Bell Creek Roads. Richey Oneal Tedder, 22, 10194 Jack Springs Road, was arrested after officers found illegal drug paraphernalia.