Omar Thompson

A routine traffic stop turned dangerous in Adairsville on Tuesday morning.

At around 6:30, an Adairsville Police officer initiated a traffic stop on a white 2015 Chevrolet Traverse traveling east on State Route 140 approaching Poplar Springs Road for traveling without valid insurance and canceled registration.

As they approached Princeton Boulevard, the Traverse reportedly drove through the red light and struck a red Toyota Camry turning left (or west) onto State Route 140. The Traverse then spun out, hit the center concrete barrier, went down an embankment, and came to a rest where the bushes meet the parking lot of Hardee’s. The officer then went down in the patrol vehicle and observed a black male exit the driver’s side of the Traverse and run through the parking lot and across an open grass field towards Quality Inn. They later identified the suspect as 34-year-old Omar Rashad Thompson of Rome.

Another officer exited the car and pursued Thompson on foot.

Shortly afterward, that officer located Thompson on the second level of the Quality Inn. The officer drew a Taser and pointed at Thompson, giving him verbal commands to come downstairs. After Thompson ran again and repeated verbal commands for him to go downstairs, Thompson finally complied. The officer then holstered the taser and put handcuffs on Thompson without further incident.

The officer at the crash scene reportedly located a loaded pistol, a glass mason jar containing over 20 grams of marijuana, a mason jar containing almost 17 grams of cocaine, numerous clear sandwich bags, and two cigars containing marijuana inside Thompson’s vehicle.

A third officer tended to the driver and occupants of the Toyota Camry. The officer reported no serious injuries.

Omar Thompson received multiple charges, including possessing a weapon during the commission of certain crimes, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, and felony marijuana possession. They also got him for driving with his license suspended or revoked for at least the fourth time within five years.