By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Four Pelham police officers and a K-9 officer who were transported for medical treatment after busting a meth lab last month have made full recoveries and have returned to work.

“Everybody is back to full duty now,” Pelham police Capt. Larry Palmer said during an Oct. 14 interview. “All of our guys are back at work and chomping at the bit.”

According to the police department, the four Pelham officers and the K-9 officer were transported to the hospital after inhaling fumes coming from the suspected meth lab in the bathroom of a room at Pelham’s Oak Mountain Lodge on Sept. 9. Officers originally responded to the hotel on a report of a juvenile pickup call when they discovered the suspected meth lab, according to Pelham police. When officers arrived, they made contact with occupants in the hotel room, and smelled fumes coming from the room’s bathroom.

The four officers were transported to Brookwood Medical Center for treatment, and were all released by 10:30 p.m. the night of the incident. The K-9 was held overnight for observation at a local veterinary clinic.

“There were no complications or lingering problems for any of them. They all returned to work pretty quickly,” Palmer said. “The dog got the worst of it. She stuck her nose right down in it.”

Palmer said the department saw an outpouring of support from the community after the officers were treated.

“We got a lot of calls about it, and we appreciate that,” Palmer said. “That means a lot to us to have that support.”

Kristie Marie Gilley, 36, of Hanceville, and 25-year-old Homewood resident Jacob Kenneth Mykicz were charged in the incident.

Gilley faces one count of criminal possession of a noxious substance, four counts of third-degree assault, one count of second-degree manufacture of a controlled substance, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of chemical endangerment of a child where a controlled substance is produced and one miscellaneous offense. She is being held in jail on bonds totaling $322,000.

Mykicz faces four counts of third-degree assault, one count of criminal possession of a noxious substance, one count of second-degree manufacture of a controlled substance, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and one miscellaneous offense. He is being held in the Shelby County Jail on bonds totaling $306,000.