On 5/04/2023 at approximately 1505 hours, deputies were dispatched to a report of a trespasser on McCumber Lane in Springfield. Deputies were advised that the property owner had an aggressive trespasser camping on his property, stealing property, and was in possession of knives. Deputies located the camp on private property and attempted to contact the occupant of the tent. The occupant, later identified as Travis Christopher Gardner, refused to come out of the tent and made threats to cut anyone that approached him. During the initial contact, deputies attempted to negotiate with Gardner through an on-scene crisis negotiator, but he still refused to come out. Multiple times while he was in his tent, he threatened deputies with two large kitchen knives by waving them around outside the door flap. At one point, Gardner exited the tent and rushed towards deputies for a few feet while still holding the knives. Deputies backed away while telling Gardner to drop the knives, but Gardner returned to the tent. A short time later Gardner cut a hole in the back of the tent, and he could be seen running away from deputies with the knives still in his hands. Deputies, with the help of K9 Bruno, immediately began tracking Gardner. Deputies tracked Gardner for approximately one mile through thick timber, blackberries, downed trees, and steep terrain which would have been nearly impossible without the help of K9 Bruno. Eventually, deputies spotted Gardner running away near a residence on McCumber Lane. Gardner was located behind the residence, still armed with the knives, and an axe he had picked up. A taser was deployed at which time Gardner became compliant and deputies were able to place him into handcuffs. Gardner was lodged at the Lane County Jail on charges of Menacing, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree, Escape in the Third Degree, Resisting Arrest, Theft in the Second Degree, and an unrelated warrant held by the Eugene Police Department.
