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Eluding suspect captured after rollover crash in downtown Medford alley By Nick Morgan Updated: Oct 26, 2021 10:52 AM A A Terrence Jeffrey Chavers was arrested on felony elude and misdemeanor reckless driving and reckless endangering charges following a crash that caused a natural gas leak in downtown Medford. Medford police photo. A Medford man is in the Jackson County Jail on charges accusing him of crashing into the rear of a Medford business while eluding police, causing a rollover crash in a rented vehicle and prompting temporary evacuations in the downtown area overnight. Terrence Jeffrey Chavers, 32, allegedly lost control of the U-Haul owned Chevrolet Silverado pickup he was driving behind Al’s Cycle and Hobby shortly after midnight Tuesday, causing the truck to roll over to its side according to a Medford police post on social media about the crash. Police say that they first tried to stop Chavers in the truck near the WinCo shopping center in South Medford. The truck eluded police southbound into Talent, then circled back to Medford, according to police. In downtown Medford, the truck attempted to lose police by speeding through the alleys, but lost control after crossing East Fifth Street and ultimately collided into the back of the hobby shop in the 100 block of North Central Avenue. Police say the crash caused a “significant natural gas leak,” and that Chavers attempted to light items in the truck on fire. ‘Lucky for him, officers got to him before the gas did,“ the Medford police post states. The gas leak prompted temporary evacuations until crews repaired the gas leak overnight. As of Tuesday morning, Chavers was held in jail on three felony counts of attempting to elude police in a vehicle, misdemeanor counts of reckless driving, felon in possession of a restricted weapon and for violating his parole on a prior heroin delivery conviction. The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office had not yet filed charges in the case as of Tuesday morning, but Jackson County Circuit Court records indicate that the incident was not the first time Travers has allegedly eluded police at high speeds. At about 3 a.m. Jan. 25, Travers allegedly fled police following a stop near the Food 4 Less, and headed north on Biddle Road at speeds of about 100 miles per hour with his lights off and into oncoming lanes of traffic, according to an affidavit filed by Medford police in an earlier case that’s still pending. He ultimately crashed in Central Point near an Interstate 5 on-ramp. Chavers is currently scheduled to stand trial Jan. 6 on felony counts of possessing heroin and attempting to elude a police officer in the alleged January pursuit, along with misdemeanor counts of reckless driving, unlawful possession of methamphetamine, felon in possession of a restricted weapon and recklessly endangering another person. Chavers also has a conviction for attempting to elude police stemming from an Oct. 20, 2014 high speed chase which reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour on Interstate 5. Reach web editor Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter @MTwebeditor .