Two Altus men arrested during a joint operation early Monday morning by agents of the District Attorney's Drug Task Force and troopers from Troop M of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol were arraigned on charges related to Methamphetamine manufacturing Monday afternoon. District Attorney John Wampler reported that 28-year-old Kevin Dale Kirby and 25-year-old Eddie Paul Peyton were arrested around 2 a.m. Monday at the Eldorado Coop yard while in the process of stealing anhydrous ammonia from one of the Coop nurse tanks.

Wampler also said that while officers were attempting to arrest the pair, the driver of the vehicle, Kirby, sped towards an agent of the Drug Task Force, attempting to run over him and the agent fired two rounds into the vehicle. Neither the agent nor the suspect were injured. Found in the vehicle at the time of arrest was a loaded .25 caliber pistol and a portable methamphetamine lab.

On Monday, the pair were charged in Jackson County District Court with possession of precursors with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, a felony which usually carries a sentence of seven years to life. Kirby was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon by a felon and assault with a dangerous weapon. Because Kirby has several felony convictions, all three counts could incur a minimum of 21 years in prison.

Bond was set at $200,000 for Kirby and $75,000 for Peyton. Both are still in Jackson County Jail awaiting a March 8 preliminary hearing.

"We have to do everything we can to stop these dangerous and violent individuals before they threaten or harm others," Wampler said.