Oregon freshman wide receiver Messiah Hampton was arrested on Friday, Oct. 30 in connection with a high-speed police chase that happened earlier this month in Springfield, Oregon. The 18-year-old is facing two felony charges of attempting to elude police and one misdemeanor charge of reckless driving, according to jail records.
Messiah Hampton (Credits: ESPN)
Hampton was booked into the Lane County Jail on Friday afternoon and was released later that evening. His arrest is the latest in a string of vehicle-related incidents involving Oregon football players this season.
Messiah Hampton arrest follows Oct. 18 high-speed chase in Springfield
According to The Oregonian‘s Ryan Clarke, who first reported the arrest, Springfield police identified Hampton as one of the drivers involved in a high-speed chase in the early morning hours of Oct. 18, just hours after Oregon beat Nebraska at home. At 3:51 a.m., Springfield police dispatch logged a pursuit involving two vehicles that ultimately evaded officers.
One of the vehicles was later found abandoned near the area where Oregon senior wide receiver Evan Stewart was arrested and charged with DUII about an hour later. Springfield police have said Stewart is not a suspect in the chase. Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson also received a speeding citation that same morning, though authorities have not linked him to Hampton’s case.
“Mr. Hampton has been identified as the driver of one of the vehicles,” Springfield Police deputy chief George Crolly said Friday evening. “We are still working to identify the driver of the other vehicle.”
Oregon ruled Hampton out for Northwestern game
Hampton was added to Oregon’s Big Ten availability report late Friday and listed as out for Saturday’s game against Northwestern – his second consecutive week on the report. Head coach Dan Lanning is expected to address the situation after the game.
On the field, Hampton has been one of the bright young spots for the Ducks this season. The four-star recruit from the Class of 2026 ranks near the top of Oregon’s receiving corps with 161 receiving yards on 16 receptions and two touchdowns as a true freshman.
The arrest adds to a growing list of off-field concerns for Oregon this season, with Stewart’s DUII arrest on Oct. 18 and Johnson’s speeding citation both coming from the same chaotic morning. Lanning and the program now face difficult questions about discipline and leadership within the locker room.
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
