Ashland Man Faces Kidnapping Charges After Violent Rampage and Armed Captivity in Downtown

ASHLAND, Ore. — A 34-year-old Ashland resident, James David Lee Hergett, faces charges including kidnapping and sex abuse and was granted $750K bail yesterday arising from two incidents in downtown Ashland after holding a man captive on April 8 and then vandalizing property, then assaulting a resident and the police after fleeing last Saturday.

James Hergett Arrested After Downtown Ashland Assault

On April 8, Hergett allegedly held a man captive for 48 hours while assaulting him and menacing him with firearms.

Due to concerns that forcing contact with the suspect could unnecessarily endanger the neighboring community- as police knew multiple firearms were present, officers were unable to act on this complaint immediately.

Hergett was then reported to have vandalized property on April 12, 2025, at about 10:49 a.m. As he fled on foot from Ashland Police, Hergett confronted and assaulted several people. As he tried to gain entry into a residence, he first attacked the occupant of the residence, followed by two officers who then subdued him with a Taser.

After Hergett’s arrest, officers obtained a search warrant for Hergett’s residence on Iowa Street and seized several firearms as evidence.

The Ashland Oregon Police Department confirmed that Hergett was indicted by the Jackson County Grand Jury yesterday on charges of Kidnapping 1st degree, kidnapping 2nd degree, coercion with a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing domestic violence, attempted assault  2nd degree, harassment, sex abuse 3rd degree, sex abuse 1st degree.

Hergett remains in custody at the Jackson County Jail.