A followup investigation on a couple failing to wear their seat belts led Cedartown police to a methamphetamine lab in a field off Lewis Road Wednesday.

According to Assistant Cedartown Police Chief Jamie Newsome:

The incident began early Wednesday afternoon when a patrol officer noticed two people, a man and a woman, in a blue Jeep without their seatbelts on.

The officer attempted to make a traffic stop, but the driver fled. Newsome said the officer chose not to pursue the vehicle because a seatbelt violation wasn’t worth the safety risk.

Newsome said another factor was the officer made an easy identification of the couple and police could find them later.

“A few officers, including myself, went back to the area a few minutes later to see why he might be running, looking for items possibly thrown out of a window,” Newsome said.

That is when police discovered tracks leaving the road in a big arch in a nearby pasture. Those tracks led police to the methamphetamine lab in a duffle bag, Newsome said.

“I feel certain that when the officer disengaged (the chase), they drove through that pasture and dumped the meth lab,” Newsome said.

Police then called in the hazardous materials team to clean up the area.

Newsome said they do not yet have the couple in custody, but are issuing warrants for their arrest.