Man faces meth lab charges

PALMER -- Wasilla police arrested a man Sunday after discovering an alleged methamphetamine lab in his truck. Further investigation turned up a second meth lab in the man's home, Wasilla police said.

Kevin J. Spencer, 24, was lodged at Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility on $6,000 bail. He's charged with four counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance -- two of which are class A felonies carrying up to 20 years in prison apiece.

Wasilla police officer Kelly Swihart said in an affidavit filed in Palmer District Court that he was doing a security check at Wasilla Airport just before 6 a.m. Sunday when he notified two vehicles follow him to the airport, then quickly leave.

He followed the car and truck, according to charging documents, and the truck suddenly accelerated to 60 mph. Swihart said he stopped the truck at Mile 48 Parks Highway for muffler and license plate violations.

Spencer, the driver, appeared to be under the influence of meth, Swihart said. A search turned up two gram-sized bindles of white powder that tested positive for meth. An open duffle bag in the truck contained iodine, rock salt, drain cleaner, Mason jars, Coleman fuel, a respirator and a white tube with powdery residue, said Swihart, adding "these items in this combination are only used to produce methamphetamine."

Charging documents list Spencer's residence as a cabin next to Borealis Beach Club near the intersection of Pittman Road and Parks Highway.

Wasilla police assisted the Mat-Su Drug Team in getting a search warrant for the cabin, which was served by the drug team and Anchorage Police Department personnel. They found an alleged methamphetamine production lab under the cabin.

No other arrests have been made, Wasilla police said, but the investigation is continuing.

Court documents indicated Spencer was prohibited from making phone calls for a period after being jailed.

He was placed on suicide watch at the pre-trial facility, according to charging documents.