Woman Arrested for Drugs & Evidence Tampering

Amber Key

By Jessie Williams

A Hartsville woman was arrested on drug and tampering with evidence charges last week after lying to police about a pizza delivery.

According to a report by Macon County Sergeant Clint Friar, he was on patrol on the evening of March 15, 2025 when he observed a blue, Nissan Rogue on the roadway without its headlights on, while it was raining outside.

After conducting a traffic stop for light law violation, the officer spoke with the driver – 36-year-old Amber Key.

While retrieving her driver’s license, Key told Sergeant Friar she had been working and had just delivered a pizza to an address on Cherry St. She also confirmed that if the officer called Domino’s Pizza, this would be verified by her manager.

As another deputy filled out a warning citation, officer Friar returned to Key’s vehicle to speak with her and smelled cigarette smoke.

‘From my training and experience some individuals will light up a cigarette to mask the odor of narcotics or smoke because they’re nervous,’ officer Friar wrote in his report.

Key was asked to exit the vehicle at that time, and a deputy called Domino’s Pizza to verify her story.

A manager told the deputy that Key did not work that day, and there were no orders placed to the address she alleged to be making the delivery.

Due to it raining, Sergeant Friar asked Mrs. Key if she wanted to sit in the back of his patrol car.

‘I did advise Mrs. Key that I had checked my backseats before my shift, so if anything illegal was located she would be charged with it,’ Friar states in his report. ‘A short time after making this comment, Mrs. Key immediately exited my patrol car and was standing in the rain. I went around to the passenger side of the vehicle where I located a white key card and an Altoids can laying on the ground a short distance away from the back passenger door.’

Inside the Altoids can, Sergeant Friar located two straws with white residue on them, a dollar bill containing a small amount of crystalized substance and two clear baggies containing approximately 3.2 grams of a crystalized substance, believed to be methamphetamine.

Key was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with evidence. Her bond was set at $15,500, and she is scheduled to appear in general sessions court on April 2, 2025.