Post Falls inspector had meth lab, police say

A Post Falls building inspector was arrested Sunday for allegedly having a methamphetamine lab in his cellar and selling the drug.

Lawrence James Dallman, 47, told law enforcement officers he allowed his roommate to rent out the cellar at the West Riverview Drive home for $200 so another friend could cook meth.

The lab was discovered by All City Bail Bonds employees after they went to the home Saturday night looking for the roommate, Windy K. Matthews. Matthews, 36, had missed a Jan. 10 court appearance for a pending charge of possession of meth, police reports state.

Dallman told police that Matthews asked him if he would allow her friend, Clifford Hill, 36, whose address is not known, to use the cellar to cook meth. Dallman said he initially declined but eventually gave Matthews permission because she was desperate for money.

Dallman said that Hill showed up in the evening hours of Jan. 14 and stayed in the cellar until the next day. Dallman denied helping manufacture the meth or obtain the ingredients. He added that Matthews didn’t help with the manufacturing, police reports state.

But detectives said they found ingredients for making meth in the house and the cellar and a large number of small plastic bags commonly used for the packaging of drugs. Several used needles also were found in the house, the report states.

Post Falls Planning Director Gary Young wasn’t available for comment Wednesday.

When the bail bondsmen arrived at the house about 7 p.m. looking for Matthews, Dallman allegedly chased bondsman Dennis Kariores with a wooden stick. Kariores told police he hit Dallman in the face, knocking him unconscious.

Kariores told police he then went inside the house, found Matthews in an upstairs bedroom and placed her under arrest.

Dallman regained consciousness and tried to hit the other bondsman, Bradley Keene, with another stick, the report states. Using a baton, Keene struck Dallman on the shoulder and on the knee and then handcuffed him, the report said.

Because a Kootenai County sheriff’s deputy hadn’t arrived, Kariores said they had to release Dallman and let him leave the house. Dallman was arrested about 4:20 a.m. Sunday when he returned to the area.

Records at the Kootenai County Courthouse show Dallman only has one minor traffic offense.