Three area men were arrested Wednesday afternoon after fleeing from law enforcement as officers attempted a traffic stop. According to a Warsaw Police Department press release, Warsaw Police officers attempted to stop the men’s vehicle around 2 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Winona Avenue and Indiana Street. As officers attempted the traffic stop, all three of the men – who were passengers in the vehicle – exited but were immediately detained by undercover officers. The driver, identified as Randy R. Woods, 33, of 10402 S. Ind. 15, 27, Silver Lake, drove from the scene and led officers on a short pursuit down McClellan Street and Country Club Road before stopping near Country Club Drive South. During the pursuit, Woods reportedly threw methamphetamine paraphernalia out of the vehicle. Narcotics officers located the items, which included an active one-pot meth lab contained in a fire extinguisher. After taking Woods into custody, officers located additional paraphernalia inside the vehicle, including an HCL generator and an old one-pot meth lab. Woods was transported to the Kosciusko County Jail and booked for manufacturing meth, possession of chemical reagents/precursors with intent to manufacture meth, resisting/fleeing law enforcement and for being a habitual traffic violator. He was held on $5,000 bond. The investigation led officers to an apartment at 317 N. Lake St. in Warsaw where officers found another HCL generator, meth manufacturing precursors and finished meth product. Meth clean-up teams were called to the apartment as well as to the vehicle and disposal locations. One of Woods’ passengers, Michael S. Harris, 49, of 422 S. Union St., B, Warsaw, had an active warrant out of Kosciusko County for forgery. He was booked in on the warrant and also charged with manufacturing meth and possession of chemical reagents/precursors with intent to manufacture meth. He was held on a $5,000 bond. A second passenger, Donald E. Tooley, 32, Fort Wayne, was booked for visiting a common nuisance. The third passenger, Justin N. Smith, 25, Warsaw, allegedly injested unprescribed narcotics and was admitted to Kosciusko Community Hospital after going into respiratory distress. A warrant will be sought for Smith for visiting a common nuisance and manufacturing meth, according to police. Warsaw Police were assisted by Indiana State Police, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and Warsaw Wayne Fire Territory.
