Cass County couple arrested on drug and gun theft

A couple was arrested Tuesday, Sept 20, in Sulphur Springs, Texas with two firearms, and prescription medication all reported stolen from a Cass County residence just days before, according to Hopkins County Sheriff ’s Office reports.

The pair were also found to be in possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine.

Elizabeth (Lizzy) Gail Coleman, 19, of Hughes Springs, and William Tyler Vick, 24, of Linden had initial bonds set at $50,000 per charge for two counts of gun theft and one count of possession of a controlled substance. Deputy Justin Wilkerson reported initiating a traffic stop on the couple at midnight Tuesday morning upon seeing the vehicle they were in—driven by Vick-– heading east in the westbound lane on a service road on south Interstate 30.

Reports show the deputy had Vick step out of the vehicle.

“A records check showed Vick was being deceptive about his criminal history,” Wilkerson reported. Vick was found to be a convicted felon.

The deputy reported smelling marijuana coming from inside the vehicle as he walked over to hand Coleman her identification back. “When he asked Vick about the odor, the Linden man allegedly admitted he had smoked Marijuana in the vehicle,” HCSO reported. “The deputy then had Coleman exit the vehicle,” reported KSST.

HCSO said that Vick admitted at that time that there was a firearm in the car.

“Because Vick is prohibited from having a firearm as a convicted felon, Wilkerson placed Vick into handcuffs while he searched the vehicle,” HCSO stated in a release.

Among the items allegedly found by Wilkerson was a revolver in a center cup holder, suspected marijuana, burnt marijuana cigarettes and a clear container with a baggy that contained a crystal-like substance that the deputy suspected to be methamphetamine.

Vick and Coleman were taken into custody as HCSO Deputy Joshua Davis and Sgt. Scott Davis arrived to assist. Upon further inspection of the vehicle, the deputies found a large amount of medication bottles that were prescribed to a resident of Hughes Springs, but not either of the pair. Two revolver pistols, suspected to be stolen, were also found.

Upon contacting Cass County Sheriff’s Office, due to the Hughes Springs address on the prescription medication bottle, reports state CCSO told the deputies that the resident named on the medications had several items stolen from her home two days prior in a burglary.

“HSCO deputies contacted the woman who’d reported her property taken during the Hughes Springs burglary and had her travel to Sulphur Springs to meet with officers regarding the property,” reports stated. The woman identified two of three pistols as hers, along with several other things that were taken from her home the previous Saturday.

The purportedly stolen property was photographed and released to the Hughes Springs resident, according to HCSO.

However, the rest of the evidence was seized, with the crystal-like substance testing positive as meth via a field test, with a weight of 0.44 grams–including the packaging.

Both Vick and Coleman were booked into HCSO jail Tuesday, Sept 20, each with two counts of theft of firearm charges, as well as one possession charge each for less than 1 gram of a controlled substance.

Vick was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, as well–due to a 2017 felony conviction and a May 2022 arrest. His bonds totaled $230,000 at $50,000 per charge with the addition of $30,000 bond later tacked on for burglary of a building, according to jail reports.

Coleman’s bond tallied to $180,000 as she was also charged with two counts of theft of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance (all three counts totaling to $150,000), and the additional $30,000 for the charge of burglary of a building.

The Hopkins County Sheriff directed further questions to the Hopkins County DA that said they do not discuss ongoing cases, Both are still housed at the Hopkins County Jail at this time.

Mugshots were unavailable at press time.