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Man arrested with rolling meth lab
Thomas w sm
THOMAS
A Smithville man was charged with initiation of a process in the manufacture of methamphetamine after a sheriff’s department drug detective allegedly found a rolling meth lab while conducting a traffic stop on June 4.Brandon Keith Thomas, 27, was charged in the meth case, as well as being cited for driving on a revoked license. According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Thomas was operating a motor vehicle on Highway 56 South when he was stopped by a drug detective for driving at a high rate of speed.After he stopped, the detective said Thomas pulled a bag of marijuana and a hypodermic needle from his pocket and laid it on the vehicle.Ray said a backpack containing a plastic bottle with a rubber tube protruding from the top of it, called a “gasser,” lye, Coleman fuel, coffee filters, and other items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine were found in the vehicle.Thomas allegedly told the detective to go ahead and take him to jail because the meth lab in the backpack belonged to him.He was arrested and brought to the jail for booking.His driver’s license was found to be revoked for a prior DUI.Thomas’ bond was set at $50,000, and he will appear in court on June 13. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Jason Kenneth Cline was arrested on June 5 and charged with driving under the influence and issued citations for violation of the financial responsibility law (no insurance), failure to give immediate notice of accident, failure to exercise due care, and failure to maintain his lane of travel by not driving on the right side of the roadway on May 14.Ray said that Cline was was involved in a crash on Bright Hill Road while operating a motor vehicle.He allegedly had an odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person and could not stand on his own at the scene.The sheriff said that because of his level of intoxication, Cline could not perform field sobriety tasks, but did submit to a blood test.His bond was set at $1,500 and he will appear in court on June 13.Clifton Eugene Brown, 52, was charged with a second offense of driving under the influence and issued citations for simple possession of Schedule II, IV, & VI drugs (methamphetamine, Xanax, & marijuana) on June 7.Brown was allegedly found passed out behind the steering wheel of his vehicle in the parking lot of the Handlebar Restaurant on Highway 70 with the key in the ignition.Ray said the arresting deputy smelled an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle as he approached, woke Brown and found him to be intoxicated.Brown allegedly admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.The deputy said Brown reached into his pocket and tried to throw away a small container with a small amount of methamphetamine and four-and-a-half blue pills believed to be Xanax inside.He reportedly also had a small bag of marijuana on his person as well.Ray said Brown performed poorly on field sobriety tasks, and submitted to a blood test.His bond was set at $3,000, and he will appear in court on July 25.Timothy Ross Bogle, 49, was charged with a third offense of driving under the influence and driving on a revoked license on June 8.Ray said that Bogle was operating a motor vehicle on Highway 70 when he was stopped by a deputy who had prior knowledge that Bogle's drivers license was revoked.Bogle allegedly told the lawman that he was unable to perform field sobriety tasks, but did submit to a blood test.A computer check revealed that Bogle's license was revoked for a DUI on Nov. 29, 2012.His bond was set at $12,500 and he will appear in court on June 20.