Two Police Eludes, Two Crashes, Major Drug Seizure
JCSO says two crashes, multiple pursuits, and later search warrants uncovered large quantities of drugs and a firearm.
ARREST DETAILS
Arrested
Ismael Garcia-Nava Jr., 32
Incident
Authorities say Garcia-Nava fled police on multiple occasions, crashed twice, and was later linked through search warrants to large quantities of drugs and a loaded firearm.
Charges
- Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substances
- Unlawful Manufacture of Controlled Substances
- Unlawful Delivery of Controlled Substances
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- Elude
- Reckless Driving
JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — A Medford man is back in jail after two separate attempts to flee police ended in crashes, with subsequent searches uncovering large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and a loaded handgun, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Ismael Garcia-Nava Jr., 32, was most recently arrested Sept. 19 after Central Point police say he fled a traffic stop, drove recklessly through heavy traffic, crashed, and then ran from officers.
The arrest capped a series of incidents stretching back to August.
JCSO deputies first attempted to stop Garcia-Nava on Aug. 12 for speeding. The vehicle fled into an industrial area, where the deputy lost sight of it.
Medford police later located the vehicle, and the driver continued to flee before crashing on Elk Street in Medford.
Officers and deputies established a perimeter and deployed a drone. JCSO says Garcia-Nava was spotted running through the area and jumping fences before being taken into custody without further incident.
Authorities also determined he had an active warrant related to a parole violation for unlawful delivery of heroin.
Garcia-Nava was lodged in the Jackson County Jail, and his vehicle was seized while investigators sought a warrant to search it.
Cover Image / Arrest Scene: Jackson County sheriff’s deputies take a man into custody following the Aug. 12 elude and crash in Medford. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
JCSO says he was force released Aug. 22 because of jail overcrowding — one day before deputies searched the vehicle.
That Aug. 23 search uncovered 41 grams of fentanyl, 26 grams of methamphetamine, 93 grams of marijuana, packaging material, a digital scale, and a loaded semi-automatic handgun, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators filed additional charges and obtained another warrant for Garcia-Nava’s arrest.
Less than a month later, Central Point police encountered him again.
On Sept. 19, officers attempted a traffic stop near Hanley Road and West Pine Street. Police say Garcia-Nava fled, and the pursuit was later terminated.
JCSO said he continued driving recklessly through heavy traffic before crashing at North Front Street and Laurel Street.
Garcia-Nava then allegedly ran from the crash and discarded a shoulder bag before officers arrested him.
Police later obtained a warrant to search the bag.
That search, conducted Sept. 24, uncovered 396 grams of heroin, 64 grams of fentanyl, 2.5 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and drug packaging, according to JCSO.
Across the two searches, authorities say investigators recovered more than 100 grams of fentanyl, nearly 400 grams of heroin, roughly 28 grams of methamphetamine, along with drug-packaging materials and the loaded firearm.
Garcia-Nava remains lodged in the Jackson County Jail.
The sheriff’s office says the case remains open and no additional information is being released at this time.
Keep Reading
