CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) A man with warrants on file drowned in the Cumberland River after fleeing police during a traffic stop.
Clarksville Police say officers initiated a traffic stop Monday night after spotting a vehicle with a brake light out.
According to a press release, when the vehicle stopped on the parking lot at 734 N. Riverside Drive, 39-year-old Eugene Bompers of Clarksville immediately jumped out of the passenger side of the vehicle and started to run toward the river.
Officers recognized Bompers and knew he had several warrants on file (including a felony warrant for Aggravated Assault) and gave chase. Around 10:35 p.m., Bompers jumped into the river in the area behind Waffle House and started to swim across the river. About halfway across, he went into distress and yelled for help.
Officers encouraged him to swim back toward them and went into the water to assist, but were unable to reach him before he submerged under the water and never resurfaced. Clarksville Fire Rescue and Montgomery County Search and Rescue located Bompers in the water, deceased, about 11:38 pm.