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Four charged in meth-lab explosion at Dudley motel

Four people injured in the explosion of a methamphetamine lab inside a Dudley motel last spring face charges, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office announced Saturday.

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DUDLEY, N.C. — Four people injured in the explosion of a methamphetamine lab inside a Dudley motel last spring face charges, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office announced Saturday.

Three suspects – Regina Ann Rugkit, 29, Randy Arive Johnson, 27, and Tracey Terell Grady, 42 – have been arrested, while Joshua Franklin Summerlin, 22, of 2030 Beautancus Road in Mount Olive, remains at large.

Authorities said that a meth lab inside a guest room at the Old Goldwater Motel, 3428 U.S. Highway 117 Alternate, exploded around 4:15 a.m. on March 11. The explosion blew out the front of the guest room, but firefighters said the building sustained little or no fire damage.

Rugkit, Johnson, Summerlin and Grady were all treated at the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. No one else was injured.

Rugkit, of 607 Stronach Ave. in Goldsboro, faces one count of manufacturing methamphetamine and eight counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine precursors. She was given a $400,000 secured bond.

Johnson and Grady, both of 807 Stanley Chapel Church Road in Mount Olive, were charged with manufacturing methamphetamine. They were given separate $100,000 secured bonds.

All four suspects have criminal records, according to state Department of Correction records.

Rugkit had been put on probation two days before the explosion after being convicted of possession of a controlled substance. She was also serving probation for two August 2010 convictions on felony drug charges.

Since the explosion, Grady has been convicted of carrying a concealed weapon, communicating threats, shoplifting and driving while impaired, DOC records show. He was behind bars at the time of his arrest Friday.

Grady's lengthy criminal record dates to 1989, and he has served time for indecent liberties with a child, assault on a female and second-degree kidnapping.

Johnson has convictions for breaking-and-entering, hit-and-run, credit card fraud, possession of drug paraphernalia and traffic violations, according to records. He is also a suspect in a break-in in which a Wayne County homeowner was assaulted in June 2010.

Summerlin was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine precursors in May 2010 and placed on probation, records state.

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