What began as a routine traffic stop Friday morning became anything but routine as police officers say they found a meth lab inside the car, arrested two people on multiple felony charges and then found a second meth lab when they searched a vehicle at the couple’s home.
Officers of the Elizabethton Police Department arrested Christopher Flippo, 29, and Myla Williams, 24, both of 604 1/2 Beech St., Elizabethton. Officers charged Flippo with initiation of the process to manufacture methamphetamine, multiple counts of promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, tampering with evidence, resisting arrest, evading arrest, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, aggravated child endangerment and reckless aggravated assault. Officers charged Williams with initiation of the process to manufacture methamphetamine, multiple counts of promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, felony possession of drug paraphernalia and aggravated child endangerment.
Shortly before 11 a.m. on Friday, EPD Cpl. Doug Combs conducted a traffic stop on a black Mitsubishi Eclipse in the parking lot of the CVS Pharmacy located on Highway 19E. Officers located Flippo, Williams and a small child inside the vehicle along with what appeared items used to cook the drug methamphetamine.
According to police, Flippo fled the scene of the traffic stop on foot headed toward LoneStar restaurant. He was caught moments later by officers and taken into custody.
Officers confirmed the presence of a meth lab in the vehicle and asked for members of the EPD Vice Unit to respond to the scene along with the Carter County Rescue Squad’s Hazardous Materials response unit. The Elizabethton Fire Department also responded to the scene. Emergency medical personnel were also called in to check on the vehicle occupants as well as an officer who might have suffered exposure to the chemicals used to make the drug.
The occupants of the vehicle were decontaminated at the scene by the CCRS and EFD. Flippo and Williams were then transported to the Carter County Detention Center.
According to undercover officers with the EPD Vice Unit, evidence discovered at the scene of the traffic stop led them to the apartment at 604 1/2 Beech Street, where they located a second meth lab inside a gold Lexus SC300.