Man charged with operating a meth lab

A car crash has led to the arrest of a man who faces four felony charges.

Antany Tristan Childress, 31, faces one felony count of possessing red phosphorous with the intent to manufacture drugs; one felony count of manufacturing, delivering or possessing drugs; one felony count of operating a methamphetamine lab; and one felony count of risking catastrophe. He also faces seven misdemeanor charges and one summary offense.

Childress, who is an inmate at Huntingdon prison, was in a one-vehicle crash on May 25, 2015, that caused his Honda Accord to overturn and rest on its hood, according to the affidavit of probable cause. He told police he could not remember what happened. Medical personnel gave police two smoking devices found in Childress’ pants pocket.

Childress was then flown to Danville Hospital for his injuries suffered in the crash, which occurred on Snydertown Road in Walker Township.

Police found marijuana at the scene, devices with marijuana residue and “indicators of the production of methamphetamine and the presence of methamphetamine in the overturned vehicle.”

The state police Clandestine Laboratory Response Team classified the scene as a functional meth lab.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 8:23 PM with the headline "Man charged with operating a meth lab."