Oregon WR Messiah Hampton arrested on suspicion of eluding police after Springfield chase (Oct. 31)
Quick Read
Oregon freshman wide receiver Messiah Hampton was arrested Friday, Oct. 30, on suspicion of felony attempting to elude police and misdemeanor reckless driving, according to Springfield police and jail records.
The case stems from a high-speed chase involving two vehicles in Springfield around 4 a.m. Oct. 18, hours after Oregon's win over Nebraska.
Hampton was booked into the Lane County Jail and released the same day.
Police are still trying to identify the driver of the second vehicle. Hampton was listed as out for Saturday's game against Northwestern.
SPRINGFIELD - Oregon freshman wide receiver Messiah Hampton was arrested Friday, Oct. 30, accused of being one of two drivers who sped away from Springfield police during a high-speed chase earlier this month.
Hampton was booked into the Lane County Jail on suspicion of felony attempting to elude police in a vehicle and misdemeanor reckless driving, according to jail records and the Springfield Police Department, The Oregonian/OregonLive first reported. The Oregonian reported one felony eluding count, while the Register-Guard and USA Today reported two. He was released from custody Friday, a Lane County Jail official told The Oregonian. The charges are allegations, and Hampton has not been convicted of any crime.
What police say happened
The pursuit began around 4 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, in Springfield's west Centennial area and involved speeding vehicles, police told KATU. Officers ended the pursuit, and detectives kept investigating until they developed probable cause to arrest Hampton, police said.
"Mr. Hampton has been identified as the driver of one of the vehicles," Springfield Police Deputy Chief George Crolly told The Oregonian on Friday evening. "We are still working to identify the driver of the other vehicle."
The chase came early that morning after Oregon's 17-14 win over Nebraska at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 17, according to USA Today. One of the two vehicles was later found abandoned near where Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants, but police said Stewart is not a suspect in the chase. Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson was cited for speeding that night and is not believed to be a suspect either, according to police. Police told KATU and KPTV that Hampton's case is separate from the DUII arrest.
His role on the team
Hampton, a four-star recruit from Rochester, New York, emerged early this season as a top target for Oregon's quarterbacks, KPTV reported. He has 18 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns, including a six-catch, 71-yard, two-touchdown game against Portland State on Sept. 18.
He was a late addition to Oregon's availability report Friday night, listed as out for Saturday's home game against Northwestern, according to The Oregonian. He was also listed as out the previous week against Illinois. The team has not said why he was unavailable, KPTV reported. None of the reports included a statement from the University of Oregon or coach Dan Lanning on the arrest.
Willamette News will update this story as the case moves forward.
Sources
The Oregonian/OregonLive: Oregon wide receiver Messiah Hampton arrested in connection with high-speed chase (Oct. 30, 2026)
The Register-Guard: Oregon football receiver Messiah Hampton arrested for eluding police (Oct. 30, 2026)
KATU: Oregon player arrested after vehicle pursuit (Oct. 31, 2026)
USA Today: Oregon freshman WR arrested for eluding police in high-speed chase (Oct. 31, 2026)
KPTV: Ducks standout freshman arrested for speeding, eluding police (Oct. 31, 2026)
Cover photo: Autzen Stadium, September 2016, by Kingofthedead via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments