JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Two people believed to be involved in stealing hemp were arrested in separate incidents Wednesday.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said the first incident started at 3:53 a.m. when a suspicious vehicle was found near a hemp field close to Griffin Creek Road southwest of Medford.
A deputy approached the person sleeping inside the grey Dodge Durango, but the suspect drove off, leading deputies on a chase through several gated rural properties.
Eventually, the suspect stopped the Durango in a driveway and ran away. He was found after being tracked for about 90 minutes.
The man initially lied about his name. However, investigators say they were able to identify him as 45-year-old Jon Allen Firehammer from Grants Pass. He was arrested for multiple charges and outstanding warrants.
Investigators believe another person who was with the man was left behind in the area.
The second incident started at about 9:40 a.m. after a patrol deputy in his patrol vehicle and two hemp farm employees were almost hit by a Toyota Tacoma that was speeding in reverse from a driveway in the 5200 block of Upton Road.
Deputies said the driver sped off after a short confrontation with one of the employees. They told the deputy the driver of the vehicle was caught stealing hemp and was fleeing when the deputy arrived.
Deputies and an Oregon State Police trooper followed the direction of the vehicle and eventually found it crashed at the end of the road.
The driver, 27-year-old Tanner Charles McNew from Medford, was reportedly uncooperative and deputies had forcibly remove him from the Tacoma. Police said he was found with marijuana, methamphetamine and hemp that’s believed to have been stolen from the Upton Road address.
McNew was lodged in the Jackson County Jail on numerous charges including theft, eluding police, reckless driving, and drug possession.
Anyone with further information about either of these incidents is asked to call JCSO at 541-770-8333.
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