Ashland Man Indicted On Several Charges -04/17/25

On April 17, 2025 the Jackson County Grand Jury indicted James David Lee Hergett, a 34 year old Ashland Resident, on the following charges:

 

Kidnapping 1^st degree, kidnapping 2^nd degree, coercion with a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing domestic violence, attempted assault  2^nd degree, harassment, sex abuse 3rd degree, sex abuse 1^st degree.

 

These indictments stem from two incidents. On April 12, 2025 at approximately 10:49 a.m. Hergett was reported to have vandalized property in the downtown area. In the course of fleeing from that vandalism, Hergett reportedly confronted and assaulted several people, fleeing upon arrival of officers from the Ashland Police Department. When officers attempted to contact Hergett he fled on foot, while doing so he tried to gain entry into a residence, leading to another assault against the occupant of the residence. When officers contacted Hergett again he assaulted two police officers before being subdued with a conducted energy devise (Taser).

 

A previous incident was reported to the Ashland Police Department on April 8, 2025 in which Hergett is alleged to have held a man captive for 48 hours, while assaulting him and menacing him with firearms. Officers were unable to act on this complaint immediately due to concerns that forcing contact with the suspect could unneceassarily endanger the neighboring community given the known presence of multiple firearms The sex abuse charges stem from the incident reported on April 8^th.

 

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

 

Hergett remains in custody at the Jackson County Jail on a total of $750,000 bail.