LOUISA COUNTY, Va. -- As parts of Central Virginia are grappling with flooding, deputies in Louisa County are investigating what appears to be a mobile meth lab inside the back of a pickup truck parked outside a Dollar General store.
Sheriff’s deputies along with the Virginia State Police Clandestine Lab Team were at the Trevilians' Dollar General on Louisa Road as of just after 9:11 p.m. Saturday.
"Please avoid the area during this investigation," reads a post on the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
Detective Chuck Love later said the incident stemmed from an alert from the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office for a 54 year-old man believed to be "possibly suicidal" who was driving a red pickup truck.
Richard Hines was wanted on various charges, including assault and battery of a family member, abduction, breaking and entering and petit larceny, officials said.
A deputy spotted the suspect's truck in the parking lot of the Dollar General and Hines was taken into custody without incident, Love said.
"Drug paraphernalia was located during the search incident to his arrest and additional suspected narcotics were located inside the vehicle," Love said. "In searching the back of the vehicle, a bag containing items consistent with the making of meth was located."
As a result, deputies set up a safe zone and called the Louisa Narcotics Task Force and the Virginia State Police Clandestine Lab Team for "proper collection" of the items, Love said.
Deputies said additional charges are pending.
Love said the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Anyone with information that could help investigators is urged to call the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office at 540-967-1234, or anonymously to the Louisa County Crime Solvers at 800-346-1466.
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