POLICE UNCOVER 14TH METH LAB

In what's beginning to seem like a routine occurrence, police last week
uncovered another methamphetamine lab inside a local residence.

Located in a doublewide off Barrett Mill Road, police said, the lab was the
county's 14th discovered so far this year.

A Wytheville man is facing numerous charges related to the bust, which took
place after deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call at his residence.

According to Wythe County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Doug King, as
officers were leaving Gregory Altizer's home they noticed a smoking device
in a pickup truck outside.

They then got permission to look inside the house, King said, and located
what they believed were items used to make meth.

After a search warrant was obtained and the Virginia State Police notified
and the warrant executed, a Drug Enforcement Agency crew cleaned up the
lab. Because of the toxic and potentially explosive household chemicals
involved in "cooking" the powerful stimulant, a trained crew has to be
called in to remove lab components.

Altizer, 35, was charged with manufacturing a schedule II drug, marijuana
possession, possession of a firearm while in possession of a schedule II
drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. Since two kids were at the
residence where the lab was located, Altizer was also charged with two
counts of felony child endangerment.

He's being held in the New River Valley Regional Jail in Dublin without bond.

Since the beginning of the year, the majority of meth operations found in
the commonwealth has been in Southwest Virginia.