Rehoboth Couple Arrested after Fire Erupts from Manufacturing Meth

Rehoboth, DE - The Delaware State Police have arrested a Rehoboth couple after a fire broke out in their apartment from a "one-pot" methamphetamine lab.

Troopers and local fire departments responded to the Beach Haven Apartment complex located at 35948 Haven Drive for a reported fire with a possible entrapment in unit 101 Monday evening around 8:00 p.m. Soon after the initial call, it was reported there was a domestic occurring in the parking lot which may be related to the fire, and the male subject was fleeing. Troopers were given a description of the suspect along with his name, and soon located Eric P. Marine, 37 of Rehoboth, walking in the area of Applebee's where he was taken into custody without incident. Upon conducting a search of Marine, he was found to be in possession of a hypodermic needle, 7 Clonazepam pills, 2 Tramadol pills, 2 Prazonsin pills, 1 Norvir, 2 Bromocriptine pills, 3 Pramipexole Dihydrochloride pills, and 1 Lyrica pill. The other occupant of the apartment,Susan Trudeau, 54 of Rehoboth, was already safely out of the building and was being treated by EMS.

A joint investigation ensued with the State Fire Marshall's Office who determined the fire started in a spare bedroom where equipment and component mixtures of Meth along with key ingredients in making the drug were located. Troopers assumed the investigation and were assisted by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), during the dismantling of the meth lab along with the cleanup and mitigation process to dispose of the waste.

Eric Marine and Susan Trudeau were both decontaminated by Sussex County Paramedic's DECON team and then transported to Beebe Medical Center before being released without any life-threatening injuries. They were both transported by troopers to Troop 4 in Georgetown where they were charged with Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Conspiracy 2nd, Operating a Clandestine Lab, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Marine was additionally charged with Possession of a Non-Controlled Substance without a Prescription, Possession of a Schedule IV Narcotic, and Possession of a Schedule V Narcotic. Both were arraigned at JP3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $30,750.00 and $30,700.00 secured bonds respectively.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., an air quality check was conducted by DNREC and residents of the apartments evacuated during the fire and clean up were allowed back into the building.