Hazmat Situation Prompts Partial Evacuation Of Folsom Hotel; 2 People Detained

FOLSOM (CBS13) – Part of a Folsom hotel was evacuated and two people were arrested Monday morning after police discovered what appeared to be a drug lab inside one of the rooms.

Police were first called to the Marriott Residence Inn Monday morning after getting reports of a man acting strangely in the lobby of the hotel.

When officers entered the third-floor room where the man was staying, they found a woman attempting to hide drug-smoking paraphernalia.

Officers also found that the couple was cooking something on the stove in the suite's kitchen and became suspicious that they may be making drugs.

"A lot of these small labs are often times in hotels, just because of the transient nature of the people who are manufacturing and using the drug," Folsom Police Sgt. Jason Browning said.

The discovery led to the evacuation of the third floor of the hotel as Hazmat crews tried to determine exactly what was cooking on the stove.

"The off gas and the toxic carcinogens that are associated with manufacturing drugs are very hazardous. It's unfortunate when officers are put in the position that they have to enter that environment," said Browning.

Police arrested 48-year-old Christopher Neal and 49-year-old Cheri Neal of Folsom.

It was later discovered that while the Neals were heating cocaine hydrochloride on the stove, they were not making drugs.

The Neals were arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.