Ashland Man Indicted on Multiple Felony Charges Following Two Violent Incidents

Ashland, Oregon- A 34-year-old Ashland resident, James David Lee Hergett, was indicted on April 17, 2025, by the Jackson County Grand Jury on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges connected to two separate incidents earlier this month.

Hergett faces charges of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree kidnapping, coercion with a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing constituting domestic violence, attempted second-degree assault, harassment, third-degree sex abuse, and first-degree sex abuse.

The most recent incident occurred on April 12, 2025, at approximately 10:49 a.m., when Hergett was reported for vandalizing property in downtown Ashland. According to police, while fleeing the scene, he confronted and assaulted multiple individuals. Officers from the Ashland Police Department responded, at which point Hergett fled on foot. During his flight, he allegedly attempted to enter a residence and assaulted the occupant.

When officers caught up with Hergett, he reportedly assaulted two officers before being subdued using a conducted energy device (Taser).

The earlier incident, reported on April 8, 2025, involved allegations that Hergett held a man captive for approximately 48 hours. The victim reported being assaulted and threatened with firearms during that period. Officers did not immediately intervene at the time due to concerns about public safety, citing the known presence of multiple firearms in Hergett’s possession.

The charges of sexual abuse stem from the April 8 incident. Following Hergett’s arrest, police executed a search warrant at his residence on Iowa Street and seized multiple firearms as evidence.

Hergett is currently being held at the Jackson County Jail with bail set at $750,000.