An explosion at a Larkfield residence startled the neighborhood and sent one man to jail for operating a homemade butane honey oil lab Sunday night. At about 10:30 PM Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputies and Rincon Valley Fire personnel responded to the 5700 block of Corbett Circle in Larkfied related to a loud explosion. Once they arrived they found resident Thomas Tuttle, 64, as he exited a side gate. Tuttle was wet, disheveled and confused from the blast.
Tuttle initially told deputies he didn’t know what caused the blast but as deputies and firefighters looked for victims and possible fire they found empty butane canisters, marijuana and other extraction equipment that led them to believe Tuttle was operating an illegal honey oil lab in his garage. Honey oil is essentially concentrated cannabis and the method to extract the oil from the marijuana plant is a dangerous process.
On the side yard of the home deputies found the source of the blast. There was a refrigerator there that had been blown outwards. A portion of fence separating the neighbors was destroyed from the blast.
Three residents were home at the time of the blast and were evacuated by deputies. It was determined they weren’t involved in Tuttle’s honey oil lab. Nobody was injured and there was no other damage other than the refrigerator and fence.
Sheriff’s detectives responded to the home and served a search warrant, collected evidence and obtained statements. Tuttle was ultimately arrested and transported to the Sonoma County jail where he was booked for manufacturing a controlled substance. He remains in custody with bail set at $100,000.
