BEDFORD — A routine traffic stop triggered by an expired, mismatched license plate led to multiple arrests over the weekend after Bedford police K9 “Castiel” alerted to the presence of narcotics inside a vehicle.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Bedford Police Department Officer Michael Bell, 43-year-old Tandi Sue Gates of Oolitic was arrested on June 6, 2026. She faces a preliminary charge of unlawful possession of a syringe. Eric S. Hackney, 46, of Bedford, is facing charges of possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The incident began on June 6 at approximately 10:42 p.m. while Officer Bell was patrolling the area of State Road 37 and 16th Street. While preparing to turn south onto State Road 37, the officer observed a red passenger car passing in front of his cruiser. Officer Bell noted that the front seat passenger appeared unnaturally rigid and went out of his way to avoid looking toward the patrol vehicle.
Officer Bell caught up to the vehicle at a red light on 29th Street and noticed that its license plate showed an expiration year of 2025. A computer database check revealed that the plate belonged to a gray 2008 Nissan Altima that had expired in April 2025. Because the plate was displayed on a completely different vehicle—a red Ford Focus—Officer Bell activated his emergency lights and pulled the car over near the intersection of State Road 37 and River Bluff Road.
Officer Bell approached the vehicle and identified the driver as Eric Hackney, an individual known to local law enforcement for a history of involvement with illegal narcotics. The front seat passenger was identified as Michael Gates, and Tandi Gates was located in the rear passenger seat.
Hackney told the officer that the vehicle belonged to a friend, but the name he provided did not match the registration records. He was able to produce his driver’s license, but had no vehicle paperwork.
Once backup officers arrived, all three occupants were asked to step out of the Ford Focus. Officer Bell then deployed his K9 partner, Castiel, for a free-air sniff around the exterior of the car. Castiel gave a primary alert to the odor of narcotics by sitting down next to the driver’s door.
A subsequent probable cause search of the vehicle uncovered an array of drug paraphernalia and contraband, including:
- A used syringe containing blood was hidden underneath the driver’s seat.
- A green plastic straw containing a crystal-like substance located between the driver’s seat and the center console, which field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
- Two burnt pieces of tin foil with residue and a black plastic straw inside the driver’s door pocket.
- A blue plastic straw inside the center console.
Due to the items found under the driver’s seat, Hackney was immediately handcuffed.
While a search of Michael Gates yielded no evidence, officers discovered an empty handgun holster in the back of the car, prompting a safety pat-down of Tandi Gates. During the outer-garment search, Sergeant Shelhart detected a syringe inside Tandi Gates’ pocket. The syringe was seized, and she was placed under arrest.
Both Tandi Gates and Eric Hackney were transported to the Lawrence County Jail for housing. Hackney was granted medical clearance at IU Health Bedford Hospital before booking. The vehicle was towed from the scene by Stone City Towing, and all recovered evidence was processed and placed into lock-up inventory at the Bedford Police Department.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through a fair and due legal process. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
