THOMASVILLE– Coffee filters a suspect tried to discard bore evidence of methamphetamine manufacturing and the finished product.

“Agents could smell the odor of the chemicals consistent with a meth lab,” said Guy Winkelmann, commander of the Thomas County/Thomasville Narcotics/Vice Division.

Winkelmann was referring to 51 Spruce lane, home of Michael James Hutchinson, 31.

As agents entered the front door of the residence, the suspect ran out the back door.

Agents chased the suspect to a fence. “They observed him throw something white over the fence,” Winkelmann explained.

Hutchinson struggled with agents, who got him on the ground and handcuffed.

On the other side of the fence, lawmen found one coffee filter containing black iodine and red phosphorus used in cooking methamphetamine and the finished product in a second filter.

Back in the house, agents found fuel, ground ephedrine pills, acetone, a hot plate, clear tubing and digital scales — components of a methamphetamine lab.

“And we found where he’d been smoking methamphetamine,” Winkelmann said.

Hutchinson is charged with methamphetamine possession, manufacturing methamphetamine and unlawful possession of ephedrine. He was released on bond from the Thomas County Jail.

Ephedrine is a stimulant, an ingredient in over-the-counter cold remedies.

“It’s in most cold medicines,” Winkelmann said

It is a felony in Georgia to possess more than 300 ephedrine pills or any ephedrine pills that have been altered.

“And these were crushed,” the commander said about the pills found at Hutchinson residence.