Meth House Demolished, 19 People Removed & Owner Arrested
LOVELAND, Colo. (CBS4) - Larimer County authorities demolished a suspected meth house, a garage and at least one RV on Tuesday. The home at 860 4th Street is now a vacant lot in Loveland.
Neighbors who chose not to give their names, say the problems go back years.
"Alcohol and that turned to drugs, and that's what we wound up with," one woman told CBS4 investigator Rick Sallinger.
She had stories to tell about the men and women staying there.
"There was an incident where she was hiding in our bushes beside our house because somebody was trying to kill her." She says they let the woman in their house and called the sheriff's department.
An inspection of the house at one point turned up methamphetamine levels 100 times acceptable limits.
Personal protective suits were used remove to debris, and a code enforcement officer described a little city inside.
"They had tents out back with tarps over them people were living in them, and God knows where the human waste was going," he said.
The owner, 66-year-old Craig Muhlenbruck, was arrested for interfering when 19 people were taken out of the home the day before the demolition.
His brother told us this all could have been avoided. Neighbors though are pleased.
"How does it feel to see this today? This house is gone," CBS4's Sallinger asked one man.
"Fantastic. That's all I can say. It's great to have it gone," he replied with a smile.
It cost more than $160,000 for the county to level the home. The owner will be sent the bill.