On Sunday, April 12th just after 6:00 pm, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies observed a front-end loader vehicle being operated on the roadway at Agate Rd and Ave G, in White City.
A loader had been reported stolen from a construction site in Medford earlier in the day.
Efforts by Jackson County Sheriff’s units to stop the loader were not successful as the driver ran a stop sign on Agate Rd. and Avenue G. During the pursuit, the driver struck several directional signs along Agate Rd and damaged the rear end of a Jackson County Sheriff’s patrol car by intentionally ramming it.
As the investigation continued, it was discovered that additional crimes had occurred late Saturday night the day before. Just before 9:30 pm that evening, Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an unusual disturbance incident in the 2400 block of Finley Road.
A suspect, believed to be 43 year old Chad Heppner, arrived at a residence on Finley Road driving a front-end loader. The suspect used the machine to flip over a vehicle in the yard of the home. The suspect left the area driving the machine and was not located that night.
The Loader was next seen just after 6:00 pm Sunday, and it was determined that suspect, 43 year old Chad Michael Heppner was in possession of a stolen front-end loader taken from a construction site in Medford.
Heppner attempted to elude Jackson County Sheriff’s units in the loader until the pursuit ended at the Takelma boat ramp when Heppner drove the loader into the Rogue River. Heppner then jumped from the loader and swam across the river where he ran into the woods on private ranch property.
Heppner was seen attempting to hide on the bank of a small pond, failed to obey commands and again ran into the woods. Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 Office Titan, successfully tracked Heppner’s final location where he was taken into custody just before 7:30pm.
The owner of the front-end loader responded to Takelma Park and worked with a towing company to recover it from the river.
Heppner was lodged by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office on multiple charges including, Attempted Elude Vehicle, Attempted Elude Foot, Possession of Stolen Vehicle, Criminal Mischief First Degree, Reckless Driving, Recklessly Endangering and Trespass Second Degree.
Medford Police Department added charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Aggravated Theft, and Criminal Mischief.
Details of this incident are still being investigated.
