FORTVILLE — Six law enforcement officers were sent to the hospital to get checked out, as a precaution to drug exposure, following an arrest of a man in Fortville on Wednesday night. The incident involved SWAT and hazmat officials from several different agencies before it was settled peacefully.
David Andrew Graham, 26, Portage, was taken into custody by the Hancock County Joint Tactical SWAT team without incident late Wednesday afternoon, Fortville Police Chief Bill Knauer said.
Officials from the Fortville Police Department were called to Stonecrest Apartments in the 600 block of Madison Street by Graham’s girlfriend, who said her boyfriend was threatening to kill everyone in the apartment complex and that Graham wanted to engage the police, Knauer said.
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The woman told police there were drugs in the apartment and that in addition to threatening her, Graham also had a warrant out for his arrest in Porter County.
“We also had information he was a meth user and was in possession of meth,” Knauer said.
After formulating a plan and getting a search warrant, the SWAT team was activated on standby around 3:30 p.m. When the SWAT team went into action, around 5:30 p.m., the suspect bailed out of a window in the apartment and was taken into custody without incident or injury, Knauer said.
Following the arrest, when officials executed the search warrant, law enforcement found several grams of crystal meth in the apartment.
“That’s when officers began to feel ill, nauseous and their eyes started burning,” Knauer said.
Officials then immediately evacuated the police officers and had them checked by medics on the scene who advised they be sent to St. Vincent Hospital in Fishers, to be tested for meth or fentanyl exposure.
All six officers checked out fine, with the last officer cleared and released from the hospital around 11:30 p.m.
Hazmat teams from the Greenfield Fire Territory, Vernon Township Fire and Carmel Fire departments helped assist in evacuating the building, along with assistance from the Indiana State Police Clandestine Unit.
Officials tested the apartment and it came back negative for any type of fentanyl or meth manufacturing in the apartment.
“The odor was very strong in the apartment, so at that point we can’t take any unnecessary risk,” Knauer said. “In today’s climate I have to error on the side of caution for our officers and the community.”
Once officials determined there was no dangerous exposure to anyone, fire department officials ventilated the building and allowed residents to return to their apartment units.
“You just never know what is going to transpire on a call,” the chief said.
Officials from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, Greenfield Police, McCordsville Police and New Palestine Police departments also assisted in the call.
“They are all such a huge asset to our community,” Knauer said.
Graham was also taken to the hospital where he was checked out before being booked into the Hancock County Jail on Wednesday night. He’s facing preliminary charges of possession of meth and possession of paraphernalia.
