Highway Drug Interdiction Uncovers 115 Grams of Meth, Concealed "Pink Key," and Firearm

A Mitchell man identified by law enforcement as a serious violent felon faces major felony drug and firearm charges after a confidential informant's tip led to a high-stakes traffic stop on State Road 37.

Demetrious "Rico" Coleman, 42, was arrested on Sunday, August 2, 2026, by the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department following an inter-county narcotics investigation.

The Confidential Tip & SR 37 Traffic Stop

According to the probable cause affidavit, a reliable informant alerted detectives that Coleman was traveling from Orleans, Indiana, to Louisville, Kentucky, in a black 2017 Chevrolet pickup truck to purchase a massive quantity of methamphetamine for local distribution. The informant warned officers that Coleman was armed with a pistol and that the bulk of the narcotics would be transported inside a locked pink metal box.

Working in tandem with an Orange County Sheriff's deputy who trailed the pickup north, a Lawrence County deputy spotted the vehicle speeding at 58 MPH in a 55 MPH rain-slicked zone on State Road 37. The deputy initiated a traffic stop near Boone Lane.

Inside the vehicle, police identified the driver as Timothy Spreen, a female passenger in the back seat, and Coleman seated in the front passenger seat with his seatbelt improperly fastened.

K9 Boon Alert and the Handgun Discovery

Deputy Kenton Carter arrived on scene with his K9 partner, Boon, who conducted a free-air sniff around the exterior of the truck. K9 Boon gave a positive alert for narcotics on the front passenger door.

A probable cause search of the truck turned up:

• The Driver's Firearm: A Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun located inside the center console, which the driver claimed.
• The Suspect's Firearm: A loaded tan 9mm handgun wedged directly between the front passenger seat and the center console where Coleman had been sitting.
• The Locked Box: A locked pink metal box positioned in an open storage compartment behind the center console. Looking through a narrow opening in the top, officers could see clear plastic bags containing a crystal-like substance.

When questioned, all three occupants initially denied knowing who owned the locked pink box.

Shoved Drugs and the Hidden "Pink Key"

During roadside interviews, the female passenger admitted to officers that as soon as the emergency lights turned on, Coleman handed her two clear plastic bags of methamphetamine and ordered her to hide them on her person. She voluntarily surrendered the narcotics to deputies.

The driver also admitted that he had indeed driven Coleman to Louisville, confirming that the pink box and the tan 9mm handgun belonged exclusively to Coleman.

While searching Coleman, deputies noticed a lanyard around his neck. Hidden beneath his shirt collar was a small key painted pink. Although the key appeared to have been intentionally damaged or tampered with, Deputy Carter successfully used the pink key recovered from Coleman's neck to unlock the pink metal box. Inside was another large bag of crystal methamphetamine.

115 Grams Seized

In total, the three recovered bags field-tested positive for methamphetamine, yielding a combined weight of approximately 115 grams (more than a quarter-pound). Officers also recovered empty packaging baggies, cash, and two cell phones from Coleman's pockets.

Because of their cooperation at the scene, the driver and female passenger were released. Coleman was booked into the Lawrence County Jail.

Preliminary Charges:
🔹 Dealing in Methamphetamine (Level 2 Felony)
🔹 Possession of Methamphetamine (Level 3 Felony)
🔹 Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun by a Serious Violent Felon (Level 4 Felony)

Case Number: S26-00956

Arresting Officer: Officer Augustus Hogan, Lawrence County Sheriff's Department

Disclaimer: All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.