BEDFORD— A traffic stop late last month led to a drug-related arrest and a chaotic scene involving several members of the same family, according to a police affidavit.
At approximately 4:24 p.m. on May 30, Bedford Police Officer Bell initiated a traffic stop on a red Ford Explorer in the Hoosier Hills Credit Union parking lot near 4th Street and Lincoln Avenue. The vehicle had previously been associated with a false license plate and was now displaying a different plate that did not match the vehicle, police said.
The driver provided a driver’s license and a title that was later determined not to belong to the Explorer. Two passengers, including Derick Terrell, reportedly became confrontational with officers during the stop. A third unidentified passenger was also in the vehicle.
After removing all occupants from the vehicle, Officer Bell deployed K9 Castiel for a free-air sniff, which indicated the presence of narcotics. A subsequent search turned up a cut straw with drug residue, commonly used for ingesting narcotics, police said.
While officers continued their investigation, members of Terrell’s family — his brother, Ricky D. Terrell, and parents Ricky B. and Sheryl Terrell — arrived at the scene. Officers reported that all three were yelling and refusing to stay back despite repeated warnings. Their behavior prompted the Hoosier Hills Credit Union regional manager to ask them to leave the property. They relocated to a nearby lot but continued shouting, according to the affidavit.
Officers confronted Derick Terrell about the drug paraphernalia, and during a search, Sergeant Nick Crulo discovered concealed items in his pants. The items included a black sock, a paper bindle, and burnt aluminum foil — Terrell reportedly defecated on Officer Jones’ hand and the evidence. Police say he later stomped the evidence into the ground in an attempt to destroy it, mixing it with feces. While trying to restrain him further, officers and Terrell fell over a curb, and Terrell allegedly continued to resist and headbutted Sergeant Crulo in the chest.
He was eventually transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
Field tests later confirmed that the powdery substance recovered tested positive for cocaine, and the foil tested positive for fentanyl.
The incident disrupted bank operations. According to a voluntary statement from a bank employee, the Terrell family’s yelling could still be heard inside the bank even after they moved across the street.
Charges filed as a result of the incident include:
- Derick Terrell: Resisting law enforcement, possession of cocaine, possession of fentanyl, obstruction of justice, and battery on a law enforcement officer.
- Ricky B. Terrell, Ricky D. Terrell, and Sheryl Terrell: Disorderly conduct and unlawful encroachment on an investigation.
Myers was given a verbal warning for the license plate violation and released from the scene. The Explorer was ordered to remain parked.
All seized evidence was packaged, photographed, and secured at the Bedford Police Department.
Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
