Lack of license plate leads to traffic stop and two arrests

Possible heroin found during vehicle search

TOP PHOTO: La Follette Police searched this vehicle on Monday morning in a parking lot on First Street.

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- On Monday morning, a routine traffic stop by La Follette Police Officer Chris Mullins resulted in two arrests, one for drug charges.

“I was on Beech Street and saw this car coming up Indiana Avenue, and I noticed they didn’t have a registration display (license plate) on the rear of their vehicle. That was their first violation, and it gave me probable cause to conduct a traffic stop,” said Officer Mullins. The traffic stop was conducted in the parking lot of a business on First Street.

The officer went on to say that one of the occupants in the car said none of them had a license (driver’s), and I ran their information and both of their licenses came back as revoked.

Though the license plate was not on the vehicle, there were cardboard signs in the back window, one a replica of the actual plate.

Officer Mullins, with assistance from LPD Officers Joseph Hicks, Kayleigh Norman and Jerry Campbell, conducted a search of the Mitsubishi sedan. “We found what we believe is heroin along with some other drug paraphernalia,” said Mullins.

Police say Kathy Coker, 61, of 180 Hickory Hill, La Follette, is the owner of the car and was the passenger, and that the car was driven by Charles O’Dell, 45, of 1342 Sharps Lane, Caryville.

Coker was charged with schedule II and I felony possession and schedule III possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence and introduction of contraband into a penal facility. The charges levied against O’Dell were driving while license was suspended and improper display of a license plate.

O’Dell was released from the Campbell County Jail on his own recognizance while Coker remains jailed and is being held without bond. Both are due in court on December 9. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-21/02/2025-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)