Police in Council Bluffs said early this (Thursday) morning, that an arrest warrant has been issued for a man who was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon but escaped and struck a police officer with a vehicle while attempting to flee. 27-year old Adam W. Thomas, of Council Bluffs, is wanted for Attempt to Commit Murder, Theft in the 1st degree, Theft by Deception, and Escape from Custody.

Adam W. Thomas

Officials say the incident began at around 3:30-p.m. Wednesday. A Council Bluffs Police Officer was at the Bomgaar’s store (2703 E. Kanesville Blvd.) when store staff notified him of a fraud in progress. Through an investigation the officer was able to identify a suspect (Adam Thomas) who was still in the store. With the assistance of a second Council Bluffs Officer Thomas was handcuffed and taken into custody a little before 4-p.m.

Thomas, was placed in a patrol vehicle, but while the officers were continuing with their investigation, Thomas managed to escaped from the patrol car. He returned to the 2007 Chevy pickup he arrived at the store in, and began to drive away. Thomas ignored verbal commands by one of the officers for him to stop, and in the process of leaving, struck one of the officers with the truck. An officer fired several shots in an attempt to stop Thomas, be he was able to flee the scene, heading eastbound. The officer who was hit by the pickup was being treated at a local hospital. The names of the officers involved in this incident are not being released at this time.

The pickup Thomas drove was located at around 9-p.m. Wednesday, abandoned in the Crescent/Underwood area (near 23752 Idlewood Road). The suspect vehicle had been reported stolen on Oct. 13th. The area where the pickup was found was searched by officers with the assistance of the Omaha Police Department Helicopter and K-9 unit as well as the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

As of early this morning, Thomas has not been found. The suspect vehicle was towed to a secure location where a search warrant will be conducted at a later date and time to be determined. Anyone with information of Adam W. Thomas, should contact their local law enforcement agency immediately.