MITCHELL, Indiana — State Police arrested a Mitchell man and his mother Thursday for dealing methamphetamine and heroin in and around the Lawrence County area.
According to an ISP media release, Estell Hetrick, 40, and his mother, Susan Voorhies, 70, of Mitchell were arrested by state and Bedford police following a drug investigation.
Police established probable cause that Hetrick was in possession of a large quantity of methamphetamine and obtained a search warrant for Hetrick's residence, which he shared with his mother in the Persimmon Park Park Apartments in the 400 block of Wade Street.
As state troopers were on their way to perform the search, they saw Hetrick riding a bicycle away from the apartment complex. When an ISP detective stopped Hetrick along Rabbitsville Road and approached him, Hetrick jumped back on his bicycle and rode away. The detective saw Hetrick throw a baggie into nearby bushes.
State Police found Hetrick in a yard in on West Seventh Street and he tried to run but was quickly apprehended.
Police recovered the baggie that Hetrick had thrown away, and said it contained approximately 4 grams of methamphetamine.
As they continued their search, police found several items associated with dealing drugs, including multiple sets of digital scales, assorted baggies, and other drug paraphernalia.
Voorhies was present during the search. Police said that before they arrived, she took "a large quantity of drugs from the apartment and hid them under a blanket behind the apartment next door."
That stash turned out to contain approximately 63 grams of methamphetamine, 5 grams of heroin, and 3 grams of marijuana.
Hetrick began to have an adverse reaction to what he said was methamphetamine and heroin that he had swallowed while fleeing on the bicycle. He was taken in an ambulance to the hospital for treatment, then released into police custody and taken to the Lawrence County Jail.
Hetrick could be facing as many as seven felony charges for possession and dealing methamphetamine, narcotics and syringes, plus resisting arrest.
Voorhies is looking at two felony drug counts and another felony count of obstruction of justice.
Both mother and son also face misdemeanor charges for marijuana possession.
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.
