By By SHERRY DIGMON
Advance Staff Writer
A man and woman being pursued by the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office abandoned their vehicle near Lottie Monday afternoon. They were hauling precursor type materials for making methamphetamine (meth).
According to BCSO Chief Deputy Larry Milstid, a hazardous materials team was called in from Louisiana to take possession of the materials.
The chase started in Perdido when a Baldwin County deputy attempted to stop an SUV on a traffic violation about 3 p.m., Monday.
The driver took off in an attempt to elude the deputy. He left Perdido on County Road 61, heading toward Lottie. He crossed I-65 and hit Ewing Farm Road. Milstid said he made a right and went several miles to the edge of Escambia County, then went back left on Three Mile Road. The driver missed a curve on a dirt road and ran through a hunting club gate, knocking it open. About two miles down the road, he ran up on a 10-inch pipe that was in the road. When the driver couldn't get the SUV off the pipe, they abandoned the vehicle northeast of Lottie and ran through the woods. Baldwin and Escambia counties' canine units responded as did the Escambia County Sheriff's Office and the 21st Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force.
The driver is believed to be a resident of Escambia County, and warrants are being issued for his arrest.
Milstid said he has been watching the trend toward the manufacture of meth in this area.
With federal agents, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and task forces concentrating on cocaine traffic, Milstid said, some drug users are turning to domestic production, rather than getting drugs from the outside.
Some large chain stores have posted signs informing consumers that purchases of large quantities of items used in the manufacture of meth n such as some cold and allergy medications and lithium batteries n will be reported to law enforcement agencies.