Petersburg officers treated for possible meth exposure Sunday

PETERSBURG — A city man was arrested Sunday after a drug bust at a residence in Petersburg’s Battlefield Park neighborhood wound up sending three police officers to the hospital for methamphetamine exposure.

James Mason, 37, was charged with malicious wounding and possession of meth, cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Police said he also was taken to the hospital for exposure before his arrest.

The officers were responding to a disturbance at a house in the 500 block of Oak Hill Road when they were overcome by fumes from the alleged meth lab. A hazardous materials team was brought over from Fort Gregg-Adams to assist with the scene.

The nature of the disturbance was not immediately reported.

A statement from Petersburg Police said the officers will be "fine" and were treated at Bon Secours Southside Medical Center in Petersburg.

In its first social-media post about the investigation, police encouraged residents to "avoid the area at this time."

In a second post, police diffused social-media speculation that at least one of the hospitalized officers had been shot.

"All officers involved in an incident on Oakhill Road are fine and are being treated for exposure at a local hospital," it read.

Mason is being held at Riverside Regional Jail in Prince George County pending a court appearance.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg officers treated for possible meth exposure Sunday