Women accused of having meth making materials in Mercedes | Crime

Jonesboro police arrested two women after reportedly finding the ingredients to make meth in their Mercedes Benz.

Rebecca Standridge, 39, of Jonesboro and Donna Jean Thomas, 35, of Trumann are charged with felony possession of drug paraphernalia and felony possession or use of drug paraphernalia to plant, grow or manufacture a controlled substance. 

The women were stopped by police Tuesday afternoon after an officer reported smelling “a strong chemical odor consistent with the manufacturing of methamphetamine coming from (their) vehicle” as it passed him on West Washington Avenue.

According to Officer Brett Nolen’s report, he was “familiar with the vehicle from previous information regarding methamphetamine traffic” on Nisbett Street in north Jonesboro.  He said when the 1998 Mercedes Benz SUV passed him all of the windows were down and he “immediately detected an overwhelming chemical odor.”

Officer Nolen then radioed dispatch to have someone stop the vehicle.

Officer Dustin Campbell answered the call and found the SUV parked outside of Standridge’s home in the 300-block of Nesbitt.  He reported Standridge was driving.  He said Thomas, who was in the passenger seat, said the vehicle belonged to her and gave him verbal consent to search the car.

Officer Campbell reported he found “a small Ziplock bag with a gritty white powdery substance inside” that was “later identified as crushed pseudoephedrine tablets.”  He also reportedly found syringes in both women’s purses.

After learning that Standridge was on probation, other officers arrived on the scene to conduct a probation search of her residence.  Inside they reportedly found a box of ice compress, lighter fluid and household drain cleaner.

Both women were taken to the Craighead County Detention Center to await a bond hearing.