Gavel 2

A Shady Cove man arrested Saturday as a suspect in a homicide that took place in a rural part of the community has been indicted by a grand jury on a charge of second-degree murder. The victim is his father, authorities said Wednesday evening.

Travis Clayton Driver, 34, is charged with the killing of Lowell Driver, 64, of Trail on Thursday. Travis Driver is the son of the victim, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reported in a news release Wednesday evening.

The sheriff’s office release Wednesday said an Oregon State Police forensic pathologist conducted an autopsy on Tuesday, revealing the cause of death as blunt force trauma.

The District Attorney’s office said Wednesday evening in a news release that a grand jury indicted Travis Driver on a charge of second-degree murder. The sheriff’s office had previously recommended charges of second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon. 

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Samantha Olson. An attorney for Driver was not listed Monday afternoon.

During a Monday court hearing, where Driver pleaded not guilty to an initial charge of second-degree murder, Judge Kelly Ravassipour placed Driver on a no bail hold in the Jackson County Jail.

Driver’s arrest Saturday came after calls to authorities were made late that morning about a potential homicide and an allegedly armed suspect at the property in the 23000 block of Highway 62 north of Shady Cove, according to an initial news release from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

As deputies arrived on the property with a SWAT team to locate Driver, another call came in stating he was at a market in Trail, the release said. Driver was taken into custody without incident, according to the release.

A probable cause affidavit providing more details on the case was kept under seal Monday.

Driver was previously charged with fourth-degree assault and harassment, both misdemeanors, stemming from an August 2017 domestic violence incident involving his wife, according to court records.

In January 2018, Driver pleaded guilty to harassment; the other charge was dismissed, court records said. He was sentenced to one-and-a-half years of bench probation, which included participating in counseling and submitting to an evaluation by Jackson County Mental Health. Driver was also ordered to pay over $5,000 in restitution to the victim.

This story has been updated with new information from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.