(MITCHELL) – Two people were arrested Wednesday night after a Mitchell Police officer received a report of a suspicious vehicle at Camelot Court.
The caller wanted to report a possible mobile meth lab in a white GMC van parked next to a black SUV in the parking lot.
The caller told officers he didn’t know who driver of the vehicle was but there was a torch in the passenger seat.
When officers arrived there were two people in the van. The were identified as 37-year-old Matthew Russell, of Mitchell, and 23-year-old Samantha Ellis, of Paoli.
Russell was in the driver’s seat and police say he has a suspended driver’s license and was wanted on a warrant.
When Russell saw the police car he exited the vehicle. The officer asked Matthew why he was there because he does not live at the complex.
While speaking to Russell the officer looked into the van window and saw the vehicle had been “hot wired” indicating it could be a stolen vehicle. Police ran the vehicle’s registration and found the registration did not match the vehicle or return to either occupants.
Russell told police he had purchased the van from “some dude” in Orleans. When asked if he had the title to the vehicle he said it was at home. Russell had previously stated to he was homeless and living out of the vehicle. Police later learned the vehicle had not been reported stolen.
Russell then gave officers consent to search the vehicle.
During the search police found a black sunglasses sack in the driver’s side floor board that contained five used syringes. These syringes all contained
meth.
Both denied the syringes belong to them and both were arrested.
Ellis said she had been with two female friends earlier in the day and the syringes must belong to them to get her to break up with Russell.
Officers also found a wax substance or “dab” that is THC wax.
Both are facing charges of possession of meth, unlawful possession of a syringe, and possession of marijuana.
