WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Wakulla County deputies say a search for suspects in a car theft out of Leon County led them discover a meth lab inside a tent.
The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office says that on October 3, they were called to a Walmart parking lot in Crawfordville about a car burglary. They say the burglarized vehicle was a black 2006 Ford F-150 pickup truck.
When they reviewed the surveillance footage, they noticed that there was white Chevrolet pickup truck parked next the the burglarized truck. They later received information from the Leon County Sheriff's Office that the car was stolen.
After an investigation, they found out that Jerry Tippler and Larrison Schroll were in the stolen struck and burglarized the other truck in the parking lot.
On Monday, detectives went to Meadow Ridge Drive in Spring Creek, Fla., looking for the stolen truck, which they found in front of a home in the 100 block.
When they approached, they found that a woman, later identified as Beth Porter, was in the driver's seat and Tippler was in the passenger seat. WCSO says Porter tried to reverse away from law enforcement but ran into a car parked in the yard.
They say Porter then got out of the car, carrying with her two purses deputies later found out had meth, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia inside.
She tried to run away, but was captured and arrested after a short chase. WCSO says Tippler also ran away, but was he was able to get away through the woods.
While looking for Tippler, deputies found Schroll and a woman, identified as Leslie Rockwell, in a tent. Inside, they found a small meth lab as well as drug paraphernalia.
Porter, Schroll and Rockwell were booked into the Wakulla County Jail and charged with the following:
Beth Porter:
- Possession of methamphetamine
- Possession of schedule IV drugs
- Possession of marijuana (less than 20 grams)
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
Larrison Schroll
- Charged as a fugitive from justice with an outstanding warrant from the United States Marshals Service for violation of federal probation for a convicted felon being possession of a firearm
Leslie Carter Rockwell
- Charged with an outstanding warrant for violation of county probation for theft
A warrant has been issued for Tippler's arrest in both Wakulla and Leon counties and he is wanted for questioning in several other crimes in the Wakulla County area.
Anyone with information about Jerry Tippler is asked to contact Detective Scott Powell or Detective Travis Hall at 850-745-7100.
