SHADY COVE – A Trail man who eluded a deputy Thursday night is lodged in the Jackson County Jail on numerous charges. On November 2, 2017, at approximately 10:22 pm, a deputy attempted to stop a blue 1995 Pontiac Firebird with no license plates on Meadow Lane near Highway 62, just north of the city of Shady Cove.
The driver, later identified as Robert Phillip Tallman, 30, eluded the deputy for a short distance, and then crashed into a bank of mailboxes. He got out of the vehicle and ran away, dropping a loaded handgun on the ground. Deputies caught up to him near a residence and took him into custody. A female passenger fled the vehicle and was not identified.
Tallman was found to be carrying an improvised explosive device in the vehicle. The Oregon State Police Bomb Squad responded to recover the device.
Deputies lodged Tallman in jail on several felony and misdemeanor charges including attempting to elude police in a vehicle, attempting to elude police on foot, reckless driving, hit and run for failure to perform the duties of a driver when property is damaged, driving while suspended or revoked, interfering with a peace officer, felon in possession of a weapon, possession of a destructive device, unlawful possession of methamphetamine and, driving under the influence of intoxicants. He was also lodged on a warrant for parole violation for a previous conviction of assault in the third degree.
During the investigation, Tallman was identified as a suspect in an incident that occurred on September 27 in the same area. Charges of eluding police in a vehicle and on foot were added in relation to that case.