FBI crews converge in West Toledo where highly toxic chemicals found

Law enforcement officials in hazardous materials suits prepare to enter the home of Thomas Wineinger, 4716 Douglas Road in Toledo, Wednesday.

Crews from the FBI arrived Wednesday afternoon at the West Toledo home where drugs and toxic chemicals — including the bi-product of the chemical ricin — were found the day before.

A team of eight people in white suits were at the residence at 4716 Douglas Rd., where they detailed the outside of two vehicles and then went inside the home. A portion of the four-lane road remained closed Wednesday afternoon.

The teams of FBI employees include some from the agency's academy in Quantico, Va. Scott Wilson, a spokesman for the FBI, said the investigation is not terrorism related.

Bond was set at $100,000 Wednesday morning for Thomas D. Wineinger, 51, who is facing three counts each of possession of drugs and one count each of illegal manufacture of drugs, trafficking in drugs, and possessing criminal tools. He was held at the Lucas County jail Wednesday afternoon.

Toledo Municipal Court Judge Michael Goulding ordered the accused held in jail in lieu of the bond and continued the case until Thursday so the suspect could hire an attorney.

Police said they were called to Wineinger's home about 3 p.m. Tuesday by a woman who said she feared for her life, telling officers that the threat was coming from her husband.

Thomas Wineinger, right, standing with public defender James MacHarg, is arraigned on drug charges Wednesday in Toledo Municipal Court.

When police arrived at the home, the man tried to escape but officers caught up with him in the driveway before he reached his vehicle, found weapons there, and detained him.

The woman then came out of the house and led them to the drugs that included what police said were mushrooms and a bi-product of the chemical ricin.

After several hours in the house where they helped to take the drugs out, nine officers were taken to two hospitals Tuesday night as a precaution after two of the officers reported feeling ill.

The fire department then staged a hazardous materials response at the Safety Building, where the drugs had been taken.

Wednesday morning the woman appeared at the scene and talked to police there, but refused to speak to the the media.