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62 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, March 18, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 22, 2005 Kathy Renfro surveys the damage done to her property on Savage Creek Road after a man commandeered a log skidder and tore through four large sections of her fence trying to elude police. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Suspect has rough past The man wounded by a deputy near Rogue River had a history of crime, drug abuse By MEG LANDERS and MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune ROGUE RIVER — Michael James Murray’s life has been a circle of drug abuse, criminal convictions and attempts to outrun the law, culminating Sunday when he was shot and wounded by police during a chase on Savage Creek Road, according to court records and a family member. The 41-year-old Murray fired shotgun blasts at police while a passenger in a speeding Ford Bronco, then eluded capture for several hours and even commandeered a log skidder that hit a Jackson County sheriff’s cruiser before a Josephine County deputy shot and wounded him, police said. "When he got involved in meth, it took over his life and that’s been his life the past 25 years," Tamara Frye, Murray’s sister, said Monday. "He’s a victim of meth. There’s no way to put it. "He needs help and not to be shot at," she said. Murray, who has a history of convictions in California and Oregon, including second-degree escape here, was wanted by police since July for allegedly violating his parole, according to court records and Frye. Advertisement Frye said she believes Murray likely fled police this time because he didn’t want to get back in the judicial system that she maintained has failed to help him over the years. "I just know he’s a fighter," Frye said. "Push comes to shove, he’s a fighter." Murray remained in critical condition Monday at Rogue Valley Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said. The Bronco’s alleged driver, 35-year-old Mark Louis Tripp, of the 3700 block of Rogue River Highway, remained lodged at the Josephine County Jail on outstanding warrants. Oregon State Police said in a prepared statement that Murray "continued to avoid capture and presented a danger to officers and area residents" when an unidentified deputy shot and wounded Murray while he was atop the skidder near the 900 block of Savage Creek Road. Police did not reveal Monday whether Murray was armed while atop the skidder. Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters said Sunday that Murray did not fire at police while on the skidder. Police on Monday also did not reveal whether any other officer shot at the skidder, where Murray was shot, or if any officer has been placed on administrative leave. OSP Lt. Kurt Barthel declined further comment because the case is under investigation by the Jackson County interagency major crime team and the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office. Attempts to reach Josephine County District Attorney Stephen Campbell and Sheriff Dave Daniel were unsuccessful Monday, a holiday. The normally quiet rural road on the border of Jackson and Josephine counties exploded in chaos early Sunday with blaring sirens, gunshots and a wanted man tearing through the woods on large machinery destroying fences and trees. Kathy Renfro, who lives in the 1500 block of Savage Creek, said she heard the commotion around 8:30 or 9 a.m. when law enforcement officials asked her and her husband, Bob, to evacuate their home. "They said a guy was on a skidder, he had a gun and he was headed toward our house," said Renfro, whose property was torn up by the skidder moments later. "They said we’d better leave. We took them at their word." The chase began around 3 a.m. when Josephine County sheriff’s deputies tried to stop the Bronco for an unspecified traffic violation at an unspecified location, according to OSP. The Bronco sped away recklessly, and at one point, the passenger lowered the Bronco’s rear window and fired several rounds of a shotgun at the deputies while in an undisclosed area, the OSP said. Police said Sunday that shots struck two Josephine County vehicles but no deputies were injured. The Bronco eventually crashed into a gate in the 1900 block of Savage Creek Road, and the two suspects fled on foot, police said. Tripp, whom police identified as the driver, was caught after a short chase, then treated for unspecified injuries at Three Rivers Community Hospital before police lodged him in jail. Murray, however, disappeared into the woods, police said. Officers from six agencies descended upon the area in search of Murray while other detectives began investigating the shooting, the OSP said. About 8:30 a.m., officers spotted Murray driving a large Caterpillar log skidder, the OSP said. Murray drove through fences, creeks and yards when police tried to get him to stop, the OSP said. Murray was shot shortly thereafter. The skidder ripped out four large sections of the Renfros’ fence and took out a support pole of their barn as well as several trees. Kathy Renfro learned from neighbors that her 10 miniature donkeys and one mule were wandering loose down the road after the skidder had mowed down their fence. "That was the main thing we were worried about was the animals," she said. Renfro said neighbors had fetched the animals and penned them by the time she and her husband were allowed back onto their property around noon. "It’s nice to have good neighbors," said Renfro. There has been a warrant for Tripp’s arrest for several weeks for failure to appear in court on charges of identity theft, second-degree forgery and second-degree attempt to commit a crime of theft in Josephine County. He is also wanted in Klamath County for an alleged probation violation for a robbery conviction. Murray, who has listed addresses in Gold Hill, Central Point and Wimer, served a year in Oregon’s prison system for aggravated theft in 2002 and second-degree escape and resisting arrest. Murray’s sister said he is the second of eight kids raised largely on the streets in the Sacramento area. When he was a teenager, Murray was seriously injured in a car he was driving that crashed into a police car during an attempt to elude officers in California, Frye said. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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