Oregon freshman wide receiver Messiah Hampton was arrested Friday afternoon following a high-speed chase that occurred on October 18, after the Ducks' victory over Nebraska.
Hampton was booked into Lane County Jail and released later that evening on one felony charge of attempting to elude police and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving, according to jail records.
The incident is linked to a series of off-field issues involving the program. One of the vehicles from the chase was abandoned near where wide receiver Evan Stewart was arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants, though Stewart is not considered a suspect and prosecutors declined to file charges. Tight end Jamari Johnson was also cited for speeding that same night, but police do not consider him a suspect either. Authorities are still working to identify the driver of the second vehicle.
"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."
Hampton has recorded 18 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns this season, emerging as a productive part of the Ducks' offense in his first year on campus. He was a late addition to Oregon's availability report for an undisclosed reason ahead of the team's loss to Illinois last week and appeared on Friday's report as "out" again.
The arrest adds to a turbulent season for coach Dan Lanning's 4-3 squad, which welcomes No. 20 Northwestern to Autzen Stadium on Saturday as the Ducks attempt to stay above .500 while continuing to manage off-field distractions stemming from the aftermath of the Nebraska game.
