A Jackson County grand jury alleged Tuesday that race was a factor in a Tidewater man’s decision July 27 to reportedly ram into the SUV of a Central Point man, pursue him along rural Jackson County roads and shoot at him.

Jered Cody Hayden, 35, who is white, was indicted on numerous charges in connection to his alleged road rage confrontation with Bryan McLeod, 42, who is Black.

The charges listed in the indictment include one count of attempted second-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault, one count of second-degree assault, three counts of reckless endangering, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of first-degree bias crime.

Deputy District Attorney Matthew Anderson, who is prosecuting the case, said in an interview that “some additional evidence and testimony” led to the bias crime charge.

“Any case where that’s an issue, it’s important for us to address it — no matter how minor of a case,” Anderson said.

Anderson declined to say what kind of evidence or testimony led to the bias charge.

The episode unfolded July 27 when Oregon State Police troopers responded to a report of a crash on Interstate 5 near milepost 39 northbound, where witnesses said Hayden had used his Chevrolet Silverado to ram a black Dodge Durango driven by McLeod.

McLeod exited the interstate to get away from Hayden but hit a dead end on a Bureau of Land Management road and ran into the forest to escape. McLeod fell down an embankment and suffered a broken arm and assorted cuts and bruises, as well as a gunshot wound to a finger, according to Kristin Esguerra, McLeod’s fiancee. McLeod hid in the forest overnight while police searched for him using a K-9 and a drone.

Esguerra said in an interview with the Rogue Valley Times that McLeod allegedly heard Hayden yelling, “I’m going to kill you, n—-! Where are you, n—-?”

Esguerra was not present during the alleged road rage incident, but she has spoken with McLeod in jail from her home in Wisconsin since his arrest.

After he emerged from the woods July 28, McLeod was arrested for an Idaho marijuana charge. He was being held in the Jackson County Jail Wednesday on $250,000 bail, plus $15,000 bail for two Oregon charges unrelated to the road rage case: contempt of court and providing false information to police.

Hayden remained in the Jackson County Jail Wednesday on $500,000 bail.

Hayden was scheduled to appear in Jackson County Circuit Court Friday for a probable cause hearing, but it was canceled. Court records do not list a future court date for the Tidewater man.