Starnes, Horner II indicted in connect to Nold Avenue meth lab explosion
Two men were in jail Wednesday, and authorities were attempting to locate a woman, after indictments were handed down for their alleged role in an explosion at a Nold Avenue home last month.
Jeremy Starnes, 30, of 1547 Blachleyville Road, and Paul F. Horner II, 48, of 439 Nold Ave., were served indictments charging them with two counts of aggravated arson, two counts of illegal manufacturing of drugs and one count of endangering children.
They both pleaded not guilty to all charges in Wayne County Common Pleas Court.
The Medway Drug Enforcement Agency is searching for the whereabouts of Crystal Aukerman, 31, who was indicted with Starnes and Horner.
The three were allegedly involved with a meth lab discovered Dec. 2 at 439 Nold Ave., following a flash fire inside the home.
The Wooster Fire Department was called shortly before 8 p.m., but there wasn't an active fire by the time units arrived to the scene. Wooster Police located items inside consistent with the making of meth. Medway agents cleaned up the scene.
Starnes, Horner and Aukerman fled the scene before first responders got to the home.
Senior Agent Jason Waddell said eye witnesses helped law enforcement to identify the three suspects. Starnes was interviewed the next day while he was hospitalized. He suffered from severe burns on his hands and eventually needed to go to the Akron Children's Hospital Burn Unit.
Waddell said Aukerman allegedly knew meth was being made at the residence, but she stayed with one of her children at the home regardless, leading to the child endangerment charge.
Starnes is being held on a bond of 10 percent of $25,000; Horner's bond was 10 percent of $10,000.
Both have pretrials set for Feb. 9 in front of Judge Mark K. Wiest.
Waddell said he was in contact with Aukerman on Tuesday trying to convince her to turn herself in, but she has refused to date.
Reporter Steve Huszai can be reached at 330-287-1645 or shuszai@the-daily-record.com. He is @GeneralSmithie on Twitter.