Oregon freshman wide receiver Messiah Hampton was arrested and booked into Lane County Jail on Friday in connection with a high-speed chase that unfolded in Springfield nearly two weeks earlier, and he was released from custody that same day while his case remains unresolved. The arrest comes as Hampton has already missed consecutive games for the No. 21 Ducks, raising fresh questions about a freshman who had been producing early in his college career.
What Happened on Oct. 18
The charges stem from an Oct. 18 high-speed chase during which two vehicles were pursued and eventually evaded Springfield officers, according to OregonLive.com. Springfield Police Deputy Chief George Crolly said Hampton has been identified as the driver of one of the vehicles, while investigators were still working to identify the driver of the other. One of those vehicles was later found abandoned near the area where fellow Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart was arrested and charged with DUII, though police do not believe Stewart was a suspect in the chase itself.
Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson was also cited for speeding that same night, but police likewise do not believe he was a suspect in the pursuit, per the same reporting. The cluster of citations and arrests tied to the same night has left the Ducks navigating multiple off-field situations involving players from the same position group at once.
Conflicting Reports on Charges
Accounts of the exact charges against Hampton diverge. OregonLive reported that Hampton is facing one felony charge of attempting to elude police and one misdemeanor charge of reckless driving, while the Register-Guard reported two felony charges of attempting to elude police alongside the same misdemeanor reckless driving charge. The discrepancy has not been resolved by any booking record or charging document made public so far.
Under Oregon law, the applicable mental state for a charge of attempting to elude a police officer is “knowingly” rather than “intentionally,” according to the state's own Oregon Revised Statute annotation. Hampton was released from custody while he awaits further information on his case, the Register-Guard's reporting and OregonLive's account both confirm.
Missed Games and Season Impact
Hampton did not travel with the team for the Oct. 24 game at Illinois, according to the Lookout Eugene-Springfield, and he was added at the last minute to Friday night's availability report, listed as out for Saturday's game against Northwestern. That marked the second consecutive game Hampton has missed, as noted by Sports Illustrated. Through five games this season, Hampton had totaled 18 receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns, per the same outlet's figures.
Evan Stewart's situation remains separate and pending. The Lookout Eugene-Springfield reports Stewart was arrested on suspicion of DUII on Oct. 18 and his case remains pending in Springfield Municipal Court, and that he has also been charged with driving with a suspended license, a traffic violation, after failing to appear in court for multiple prior traffic violations.
No statement from Hampton, his attorney, or Oregon athletics has been made public, and no court date, plea, or case disposition has been reported. It also remains unclear whether Hampton's absence from Oregon's recent games was a direct result of the arrest or the pending charges.
