Earlier today around noon, several of our deputies assigned to our Warrant Division attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle at the intersection of Old Converse Rd. and E. Main St. in the Converse community of Spartanburg County, since both the female driver and the male passenger had general sessions bench warrants on them that had been active since the first of April. Both occupants of the vehicle were wanted for Failure to Appear for the offenses of Manufacturing Drugs – 3 counts, Unlawful Neglect of a Child, and the male had an additional Possession of Weapons charge. The vehicle failed to pull over, and a pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, the male passenger appeared through the sun roof of the vehicle and fired an assault rifle numerous times at the deputies who attempted the traffic stop, striking their vehicles, resulting in those deputies returning fire. The male passenger firing the assault rifle was also witnessed by other uniform patrol deputies and investigators who were responding to assist our warrant officers. The pursuit ended in the Lakeview Manor community off Mt. Pleasant Rd. The male passenger was located at a residence on Thurgood Marshall Rd., where it was discovered he had suffered a single gunshot wound to a leg. The female driver and the vehicle were located at another residence on Benjamin Mays Dr. The assault rifle was also recovered at another location in Lakeview Manor. The male was transported to the hospital for treatment of his injury, and the female was transported to the office to be interviewed by our investigators and agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). The male has since been released from the hospital, and both he and the female are now being transported to our detention facility. One of our violent crime investigators met with a magistrate who approved warrants on the male passenger for 3 counts of Attempted Murder and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Violent Crime. That magistrate also approved warrants on the female driver for Accessory Before the Fact of a Felony and Accessory After the Fact of a Felony. The male passenger is Jurrell Keith Thompson, B/M, DOB: 031685, and the female driver is Jodi Lea Stapleton, W/F, DOB: 022483, both reside at 15 Heritage Court, Spartanburg, SC, 29307. Attached above is a copy of our incident report and the latest booking photos of both suspects. Copies of the warrants are not available at this time. Because of SLED’s active investigation of our deputies’ actions, this agency won’t have any further comment about this incident. Our deputies involved in today’s incident are on paid administrative leave until an internal review can be completed.
