MITCHELL – On Thursday, the Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section and the ISP Bloomington District A.C.E.S. (All Crimes Enforcement Section) arrested two Mitchell residents after conducting a drug investigation.
ISP received information that 40-year-old Estell Hetrick, of Mitchell, was dealing methamphetamine and heroin in, and around, the Lawrence County area.
ISP troopers, with assistance from Bedford Police Department Officer Nick Crulo, were able to establish probable cause that Hetrick was in possession of a large quantity of meth. ISP applied for a search warrant for Hetrick’s apartment, which he shared with his mother, in the 400 block of Wade Street. The Lawrence County Superior Court II Judge Robert Cline signed and issued the search warrant.
As ISP troopers were driving to the house to execute the search warrant, Hetrick was observed riding a bicycle away from the apartment complex. Hetrick was stopped along the side of Rabbitsville Road and an ISP DES detective approached him. When the detective identified himself as an officer, Hetrick jumped back on his bicycle and fled from the DES detective. The DES detective observed Hetrick throw a baggie into a nearby shrub.
ISP Sgt. Greg Day and Trp. Caleb Garvin were able to locate Hetrick in a yard in the 400 block of West 7th Street. Hetrick jumped from his bicycle and started to flee on foot, however, he was quickly apprehended. The baggie that Hetrick had thrown was recovered by the DES detective and found to contain approximately 4 grams of meth.
Sgt. Day, Trp. Garvin, and DES detectives executed the search warrant on Hetrick’s apartment. During this search, several items associated with dealing drugs were located. These items included multiple sets of digital scales, assorted baggies, and other drug paraphernalia.
During the execution of the warrant, Hetrick’s mother, 70-year-old Susan Voorhies, of Mitchell, was present. It was discovered that before the arrival of troopers, she removed a large number of drugs from the apartment and hid them under a blanket behind the apartment next door. Located in this hiding spot were approximately 63 grams of meth, 5 grams of heroin, and 3 grams of marijuana.
Estell Hetrick was transported via ambulance to the hospital after he began to have an adverse reaction to meth and heroin that he told troopers he had swallowed while fleeing on the bicycle. After being treated and released, Hetrick was arrested and transported to the Lawrence County Jail on felony charges of dealing meth, possession of meth over 28 grams, dealing in a narcotic drug, obstruction of justice, resisting law enforcement, resisting law enforcement by fleeing, unlawful possession of syringes, and on misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Voorhies faces felony charges of possession of meth over 28 grams, possession of a narcotic drug, obstruction of justice, and a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.
Both were incarcerated at the Lawrence County Jail.
Sgt. Day commended everyone involved in the investigation and the cooperation between ISP and the Bedford Police Department.
“The sharing of information between ISP and BPD is very beneficial in completing successful investigations,” said Sgt. Day. “When we can put everyone’s information together, it can be much easier to reduce the length of time an investigation takes. Thanks to the efforts of everyone involved, we have removed another person dealing dangerous drugs in our community.”
Sgt. Day was also thankful that no children were located and handled the drugs that Hetrick’s mother had hidden outside.
“It is extremely fortunate that the actions of Ms. Voorhies, which were careless and showed no regard for the safety of others, did not result in a catastrophe for a young family”, he added.
Anyone with illegal drug activity information is requested to call the Indiana State Police Bloomington Post at 812-332-4411, the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office tip line at 812-545-4700, or send an email to drugactivity@lawrencecounty.in.gov. All calls are confidential.
