A Medford man was arrested Saturday after allegedly “boxing in” Mercy Flights emergency vehicles with his own, then eluding police at high speeds through neighborhoods and crashing into a Jackson County sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle.

Parker Joseph Latham, 31, of the 2000 block of Wilkshire Drive, Medford, was lodged in the Jackson County Jail without bail on charges of attempt to commit a Class B felony; attempt to commit a Class C/unclassified felony; fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer; driving under the influence of intoxicants; reckless driving; recklessly endangering another person; second-degree criminal mischief; criminal driving while suspended or revoked; and interfering with a firefighter or emergency management.

Medford police received a report Saturday that a man was “harassing and interfering with different Mercy Flights Medical Ambulance crews at different locations throughout the city,” according to a news release. But police did not find Latham, who was driving a Toyota 4Runner, until about 3:05 p.m.

By that time, Latham was in his SUV allegedly “boxing in and harassing another Mercy Flights crew” near the Olive Garden restaurant and the Safeway store at Crater Lake Highway and Delta Waters Road, the release said. 

Even though police blocked Latham from pulling out of his parking space, he allegedly accelerated over parking lot landscaping onto Crater Lake Highway, according to the release.

Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Kammel wrote in a probable cause affidavit that as Latham drove eastbound on Delta Waters Road, he did so “recklessly at high speeds with no regard for other members of the public.” 

Per policy, Medford police were forced to terminate their pursuit of Latham, who managed to make it to McAndrews Road, where he drove down “the middle” of the street, heading west, with “no regard for other members of the public” at up 80 mph, Kammel wrote. Latham then increased his speed to 100 mph, the affidavit stated.

Latham turned north onto Springbrook Road and collided with a deputy’s patrol car near the roundabout at Springbrook Road and Cedar Links Drive, where officers were able to take him into custody, the affidavit stated. The officer who was driving the patrol car was not injured.

According to the affidavit, Latham told Kammel he “did not recall what happened and had been hit in the head earlier that day.” Kammel wrote that he suspected Latham was on drugs, and a judge issued a test for drugs once the suspect was transported to Providence Medford Medical Center. 

Court records show Latham has an Aug. 8 conviction for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and an open felony case for numerous charges, including first-degree burglary, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and reckless driving.