Oregon freshman Messiah Hampton faces two charges after 4 a.m. chase

Oregon Ducks freshman wide receiver Messiah Hampton was arrested on Friday for his role in a high-speed chase that occurred on October 18. Springfield police charged him with eluding police and reckless driving. Officers were already pursuing two other vehicles for speeding around 4 a.m. on that Sunday when Hampton’s vehicle became involved in the incident.

The Springfield Police Department confirmed that an investigation to identify the other driver in Hampton’s car is still active. The department stated that Hampton’s case is separate from the DUII arrest of teammate Evan Stewart, who was stopped during the same early morning window. Both arrests happened shortly after Oregon defeated Nebraska.

Hampton, a four-star recruit from New York, was listed as unavailable for Oregon’s recent loss to Illinois. He remains off the availability report for Saturday’s game against No. 20 Northwestern. The team has not released the specific reason for his absence. Stewart, a senior, was also omitted from the roster list for the upcoming matchup. He has missed the last three games due to an undisclosed injury alongside his traffic citation.

Hampton has become a key target for the Ducks' quarterbacks this season. He recorded two touchdowns against Portland State on September 18. In that game, he caught six passes for 71 yards. For the season, he has 18 receptions for 161 yards and two scores.

Kickoff for the game against Northwestern is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Autzen Stadium.