Local News

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man for drugged driving after he crashed his car on Interstate 5 in northern Josephine County yesterday. OSP reports troopers responded to the single-vehicle wreck in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 80 on Sunday at 11:52 a.m.. Troopers said the gold Toyota Camry had been called in as a driving complaint just prior to the crash. Upon contact with the 56-year-old male driver, they said he showed signs of impairment and then performed poorly in field sobriety tests. The suspect was placed into custody on charges of Driving Under the Influence of Controlled Substances and Reckless Driving before he was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center. He provided a urine sample and was issued several criminal citations. His car was impounded and towed to Grants Pass.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested at least two other motorists for impaired driving over the weekend in the Grants Pass area. According to OSP, the first incident occurred on Friday at 9:32 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Toyota Tundra driven by a 66-year-old Williams man near the corner of Cloverlawn Drive and Haviland Drive in southeast Grants Pass. Troopers said they stopped the Toyota for a traffic violation and the driver showed signs of impairment. They said the driver was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving before he was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a urine sample for suspected marijuana impairment. He was cited to appear in court and his truck was towed. The second incident happened on Saturday at 5:22 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Ford F-250 pickup driven by a 42-year-old Grants Pass man near the corner of Redwood Highway and Tussey Lane. Troopers said they stopped the Ford for a traffic violation and discovered the driver had a suspended license. They said he also displayed signs of impairment, so a search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw. The suspect was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for DUII and Driving While Suspended. His pickup was impounded.

 

A young Grants Pass woman was injured when she crashed her vehicle on Interstate 5 near the Smith Hill Summit over the weekend. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle wreck in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 74 at 7:22 p.m. Saturday. Troopers said an investigation indicated that a 19-year-old woman was driving a Nissan Sentra that left the freeway and struck a slide-slope rock embankment. The driver stated that she did not know how fast she was going, but that it was likely too fast for the road and weather conditions. The young driver was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for an evaluation after she complained of pain. Her car was towed to Grants Pass. Following the investigation, the driver was either cited or warned for Violating the Basic Rule.

 

A motorcyclist was killed late last week when they crashed their bike while riding recklessly during a rainstorm on Interstate 5 in the Central Point area. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports the fatal crash occurred on I-5 near milepost 34 on Friday morning. Approximately two minutes before the crash, a sheriff's deputy clocked the motorcycle traveling north on I-5 in excess of 100 miles per hour. There were also multiple witnesses who reported the motorcyclist riding recklessly. The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop by activating his lights and siren, but the motorcyclist continued at a high rate of speed before crashing into a semi-truck at 10:53 a.m.. Jackson County Fire District #3 and Mercy Flights responded and pronounced the rider deceased at the scene. Investigators said the identity of the decedent would be released after next of kin was notified. All further information will come from the Oregon State Police.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for allegedly assaulting another person at or near a Rogue River Highway residence over the weekend. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to an active assault in the 200-block of Highway 99 on Saturday around 2:30 p.m.. Deputies contacted a suspect whom they identified as 30-year-old Dustin Michael Fontana at that location and placed him into custody. The suspect reportedly tried to fight with deputies as they placed him into the patrol vehicle. No other information about the incident was disclosed and deputies were unable to locate the victim. Fontana was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Assault and Menacing. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on a local felony warrant during a weekend patrol check at a shuttered restaurant on the east side of the city. The Police Department reports officers spotted a blue minivan parked at the former Shari's Cafe & Pies on NE Agness Avenue on Saturday at 9:37 a.m.. Police said the minivan had a female subject inside who refused to identify herself when she was informed that she was trespassing on private property. The van was determined to be associated with 32-year-old Kaitlyn Elaine Cook who was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. According to the report, Cook barricaded herself inside the vehicle by locking all the doors. Officers were forced to smash the driver-side window in order to remove her from the vehicle and place her into custody. She was not hurt. Cook was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and she was being held without bail. Her minivan was towed and she was trespassed from the former restaurant as well as the Three Rivers Medical Center Family House.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two Josephine County Community Corrections clients on the same day late last week. According to the Police Department, officers first responded to the Corrections Office on NW 4th Street on Friday at 9:20 a.m.. Police said they were alerted that 33-year-old Clinten Anthony Robertson was there and that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous kidnapping conviction. He was placed into custody without incident and lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail. The second incident occurred at 1 p.m. Friday when officers arrested 29-year-old Jake Robert Thompson at the local corrections office. Police said Corrections officials notified them that Thompson was prematurely released from jail and that he needed to be returned to lockup. He was in custody for Felony Parole Violation related to an unspecified incident in 2017 and was returned to the jail facility where he was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Thompson was been arrested for violating his post-prison supervision 14 times since November 2023.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District responded to two weekend incidents involving fires on the same night near Cave Junction and Selma. On Saturday at 9:07 p.m., IVFD crews were dispatched to a small vehicle fire at the Rough and Ready Creek Wayside along Redwood Highway. IVFD officials said passersby observed the fire and called 9-1-1. They said the abandoned vehicle was fully-involved in flames when crews arrived on scene. They successfully extinguished the fire and found no one near the burnt vehicle. The Oregon State Police was notified and a formal investigation is underway. On Saturday at 10:56 p.m., IVFD and Rural Metro Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire on Hogue Drive. Upon arrival, units discovered an uncontrolled and illegal eight-by-eight-foot trash fire on Norman Road. The fire was extinguished, the residents received a citation and all units returned to service.

 

US Cellular is giving back to the local community this holiday season by donating needed items to the Grants Pass Lady Rogues Fastpitch Softball Program. With its "Gift of Connection" program, US Cellular is donating $1,500 worth of bat backpacks to help enhance their experience and confidence as they grow in their athletic journey. This "Gift of Connection" donation is one of 50 donations to nonprofit groups and organizations across the country. The company is helping organizations that bring people and communities together to enjoy genuine connections through arts, music, sports and food with needed supplies. Since 2009, US Cellular has invested more than $47 million in monetary donations, technology resources and countless experiences to nonprofit organizations across the country.