Armed Robbery Investigation Leads to I-5 Pursuit, Arrests Near Grants Pass
Police say two suspects fled Medford officers before spike strips stopped their SUV near Interstate 5 milepost 54.
AT A GLANCE
Initial incident: Armed robbery reported Aug. 30 at the Walgreens on West Main Street in Medford.
Allegation: Police say a woman pointed a handgun at an employee after she and a man were confronted with unpaid merchandise.
Pursuit: Officers located the suspect SUV Monday near Sage Road and Highway 238 before it fled north onto Interstate 5.
Stop: Spike strips stopped the vehicle near I-5 milepost 54, and its occupants were taken into custody.
Status: Suspect names and charges have not yet been released.
Law Enforcement Response: Multiple police vehicles line Interstate 5 near Grants Pass following a pursuit that began after Medford officers located a vehicle tied to an armed robbery investigation. ODOT TripCheck.
MEDFORD, Ore. — An investigation into an armed robbery at a Medford Walgreens ended two days later with a high-speed pursuit on Interstate 5 and two people taken into custody near Grants Pass.
Medford Police said the case began around 8:45 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, when officers responded to the Walgreens on West Main Street.
Employees told police they confronted a man and woman who were trying to leave the store with a shopping cart filled with unpaid merchandise. During the confrontation, police said the woman reportedly pulled out a handgun, pointed it at an employee, and threatened to shoot.
The pair left in a white midsize SUV with a black roof rack before officers arrived.
Police searched the surrounding area but were unable to find the suspects. Investigators later reviewed store security footage, which police said corroborated the employees’ account and provided images of both suspects and their vehicle.
The investigation led officers to identify the SUV, but it was not located again until Tuesday afternoon.
At about 12:30 p.m., a Medford officer spotted the vehicle near Sage Road and Highway 238. Police said the driver accelerated away when officers attempted to make a traffic stop.
Because officers were investigating an alleged armed robbery involving a firearm, police pursued the SUV.
The chase moved through several areas before reaching Interstate 5 northbound, where Oregon State Police and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office joined the response.
Pursuit Ends: Medford Police and Oregon State Police gather along Interstate 5 after spike strips stopped a vehicle connected to an armed robbery investigation near milepost 54. Medford Police Department.
Authorities made several unsuccessful attempts to deploy spike strips as the SUV continued north toward Grants Pass.
Police said spike strips were eventually deployed successfully near milepost 54. The SUV came to a stop, and the people inside were taken into custody.
Images from the scene show multiple Medford Police and Oregon State Police vehicles stopped along the northbound lanes of Interstate 5. TripCheck cameras near milepost 55 also showed a significant law enforcement presence and backed-up traffic during the response.
Traffic on I-5 was significantly slowed while the incident unfolded but has since reopened.
Police have not released the names of the people taken into custody or announced specific charges. Additional information is expected as the investigation continues.
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