Arrest of unruly parent was lawful, court says

Jan. 5—LIBERTY — Police had ample reason to arrest the father of a Liberty Elementary School student after the man berated and cursed at school staff one morning more than six years ago and then tried to drive off when officers confronted him, the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

Christopher Jason Thompson appealed his 2019 conviction for felony fleeing to elude arrest, arguing that a judge should have dismissed the charge because his arrest was unlawful for multiple reasons.

The Court of Appeals disagreed, shooting down all of the arguments in its 18-page opinion.

Thompson drove his son to school May 21, 2015, but arrived after the bell had rung and the school's doors were locked, according to trial testimony cited in the appellate court's opinion. At the school's front office, Thompson repeatedly yelled and cursed at school staff, including Principal Jordi Roman, who told Thompson to leave the building and asked someone to call the police.

When Liberty Police Chief David Semrad and other officers arrived, Thompson was in his pickup, the court's opinion said. Thompson repeatedly refused to provide his identification to officers, argued with them and began to drive away as officers reached in to stop him.

Thompson sped away but wrecked a short while later and was arrested, the court's opinion said.

Thompson was convicted in March 2019 and given a suspended sentence.