Lincoln County Deputy Colby Reik Shot During Traffic Stop

Lincoln County Deputy Colby Reik Shot During Traffic Stop

Garrard County, KY – A Lincoln County Special Sheriff’s Deputy, Colby Reik, was shot earlier this afternoon, Wednesday, January 04, 2016,  during a traffic stop.  A shootout occurred between one suspect from the vehicle and the Deputy, and the suspect, Welby O’Dell Mullins, Jr., was killed.

According to WKYT, Lincoln County Deputy Reik stopped a vehicle shortly before 4 p.m. at a Sunoco gas station on the northern edge of the Pleasant Retreat shopping center on U.S. 27 just south of Lancaster.  Deputies had been looking for the vehicle, which was suspected of drug trafficking.  Prior to the traffic stop, Deputy Reik had received a tip that Mullins, who had an outstanding warrant, was in the area.  He had already requested back-up prior to stopping the vehicle and multiple Officers were enroute when the incident occurred.

According to The Interior Journal, Lincoln County Deputies had searched Mullins’ home on Maxey Valley Road on Tuesday, January 03, 2017 and seized an estimated two and one-half pounds of a substance that is believed to be crystal methamphetamine, $1,000 in $20 bills, $6,000 from a safe, digital scales, and other evidence of drug trafficking.  Mullins was not at the residence when the search was executed and a warrant for his arrest was issued after the search.  He was already on federal probation for Trafficking in Cocaine.

When Deputy Reik stopped the vehicle this afternoon, the driver followed his instructions.  However, Mullins exited the vehicle and began shooting at the Deputy, who was shot twice in the arm.  Deputy Reik returned fire and Mullins was killed. Deputy Reik, who is also a volunteer firefighter, was flown to the University of Kentucky Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and has since been released.

The driver of the vehicle, who has not identified, has been detained but has not been arrested at this time.  This Officer-Involved Shooting is the first to be investigated by a new State Police Unit known as the Critical Incident Response Branch.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Hero Lincoln County Sheriff Colby Reik.  We thank you for your commitment to making Lincoln County safe.

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