First arrest in connection with Malheur Wildlife Refuge occupation

Matt Jordan January 16, 2016

Last Updated: January 16, 2016

Harney County, Ore. — A man was arrested Friday in connection with the armed occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge after two government vehicles reportedly belonging to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were stolen.

62-year-old Kenneth Medenbach was taken into custody outside a grocery store in nearby Burns for unauthorized use of a federal motor vehicle. This is the first arrest in connection with the occupation since it began two weeks ago, but it’s not clear if Medenbach is one of the protesters.

Both vehicles, a van and pickup truck, have since been recovered.

Matt Jordan

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Matt Jordan is the Chief Meteorologist for KOBI-TV NBC5. Matt joined the NBC5 weather team in 2014 after a year as a reporter and anchor in Alexandria, Louisiana. His experience with the severe weather of the Deep South and a love of the Pacific Northwest led him to pursue a certification with Mississippi State University as a Broadcast Meteorologist. You can find Matt working in the evenings of NBC5 News at 5, 6 and 11 as well as online. Matt also has a degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon. In addition to being passionate about news and weather, Matt is a BIG Oregon Ducks fan. When not rooting for the Ducks or tracking down the next storm over the Pacific, Matt can be found outdoors in the Oregon wilderness with his wife, his daughter and their dogs Stanley and Gordi.