Suspect Wanted for Abandoning Kids in Woods Arrested after Nationwide Hunt
A suspect wanted for abandoning his children in the woods near Jacksonville earlier this year has been arrested after a nearly six-month nationwide manhunt.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports the suspect -- 24-year-old Justin Ryan Trompeter -- was arrested on July 12th after being spotted in Medford and taking police on a high-speed pursuit through Jackson and Josephine counties.
Early that morning, Medford police officers located a vehicle associated with Trompeter driving near the Rogue Valley Mall and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle briefly stopped before eluding northbound on Interstate 5. MPD ended their pursuit and the Jackson County sheriff's deputies located the vehicle traveling north past I-5 Exit 40 at high speed and continued the pursuit into Grants Pass.
The Oregon State Police, Grants Pass Police Department and Josephine County Sheriff's Office took over the pursuit on Redwood Highway. While trying to elude police, Trompeter called 9-1-1 and threatened suicide by cop. The chase continued on side roads toward Merlin where the suspect crashed his vehicle into a ditch. He engaged in a brief standoff with law enforcement before giving up in the area of Pickett Creek Road and Hussey Lane.
Trompeter was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. He was then taken to the Jackson County Jail where he was lodged on 14 separate charges including Felony Domestic Assault, Robbery, Harassment, Theft, Child Neglect, Reckless Driving, Felony Attempt to Elude Police, Reckless Endangering and Parole Violation.
Authorities began searching for Trompeter in connection with a February 7th domestic assault call when he fled the scene at a high rate of speed with two children. Deputies received information that he was hiding with the children deep in the woods surrounding Jacksonville. The 6-month-old and one-year-old kids were abandoned and left alone for up to two hours in the car, which contained fentanyl and methamphetamine.
