Local News

A Josephine County Jail inmate is facing additional charges after he was served with a local warrant yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports jail deputies served an adult in custody identified as 36-year-old Christopher Patrick McLaughlin with a Grants Pass misdemeanor warrant on Tuesday afternoon. Charges contained in the warrant included 4th-Degree Assault and Harassment. Jail records show McLaughlin is serving a 30-day sentence for Parole Violation and he remains in custody.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for stealing an item from Grange Co-op late yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a shoplifting call at the store on West Schutzwohl Lane near Redwood Highway on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.. Police said 57-year-old Onalea Clay concealed a Carhartt beanie worth $25 and left the store passing all points of sale without paying. They said she cooperated with loss prevention and admitted to the theft. Clay was also found to be driving with a suspended license and admitted that she drove to Grange Co-op from her residence. She was cited to appear in court for 3rd-Degree Theft and Driving While Suspended.

 

A Wolf Creek man was arrested on manslaughter charges after a pickup truck crash killed his 11-year-old daughter in the Glendale area on Monday afternoon. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office reports deputies were called to a motor vehicle accident on Oregon Department of Forestry land bordering the 1200-block of Tunnel Road at about 1:30 p.m. Monday. Deputies said the pickup -- a Ford F-250 -- was occupied by the driver -- 55-year-old Ian Anthony Fleming -- and three juvenile females when the crash occurred. They said the three young passengers were thrown from the vehicle as it rolled multiple times down an embankment. Fleming was able to get out of the overturned pickup and he then attempted to get medical care for his seriously injured daughter. He used a borrowed vehicle to drive his daughter to the ambulance station on Tunnel Road. Glendale Ambulance paramedics declared her deceased a short time later. The two other juvenile girls were transported by Glendale Ambulance to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford for treatment of their injuries. Detectives responded to the scene after deputies reported that Fleming had fled. He later returned to the location of the crash and was interviewed. It was determined alcohol and drugs were a factor in the crash. Fleming was lodged at the Douglas County Jail for suspicion of 2nd-Degree Manslaughter.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed an Illinois Valley man for possessing a stolen firearm this week following a traffic stop in downtown Cave Junction. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Tyler Jack Olson in the 100-block of South Redwood Highway on Monday. Deputies did not disclose the reason for the traffic stop, but they found Olson to be in possession of a Walther Creed 9-millimeter handgun that had been reported stolen by the Roseburg Police Department. The gun was seized as evidence and to be returned to its registered owner. Olson was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Theft by Receiving and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. He was being held without bail and his vehicle was towed.

 

The Oregon State Police jailed a Wolf Creek man this week for being an out-of-compliance sex offender. OSP reports state troopers arrested 61-year-old Thomas Glenn Thomason at Creekside RV Park on Old Highway 99 in Wolf Creek on Monday afternoon. Troopers said the Josephine County Sheriff's Office and US Marshals Service assisted with the arrest, which is part of Operation Sentinel that is aimed at rounding up non-compliant sex offenders. Thomason was placed into custody without incident. He was transported to the Josephine County Jail and booked for Felony Failure to Report as a Sex Offender. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a Grants Pass man this week for violating terms of his probation. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies tracked down and arrested 46-year-old Dallas Lee Silva at a home in the 3100-block of Williams Highway on Monday afternoon. Deputies said Silva was wanted for Probation Violation related to a May 2024 arrest for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. He was initially charged with several other crimes, but the District Attorney's Office dismissed all other charges. Silva was described as "uncooperative," but he was eventually lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested an Illinois Valley man on two local warrants in the O'Brien area this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies contacted and arrested 41-year-old Jonathan Mark Michels in the 200-block of Samarkand Drive on Monday afternoon. Deputies said Michels was wanted on two Josephine County felony warrants for Felon in Possession of a Weapon and failing to appear in court for Unlawful Use of a Weapon. They said he was placed into custody at gunpoint because of his past affinity for possessing and using weapons. Michels was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on $60,000 bail.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to present awards and recognitions during what appears to be a brief business session this morning. The Commissioners have some awards to present to county employees for their bravery during an incident that occurred earlier this year plus the monthly recognition of workers for their years of service to the community. There are no public hearings, administrative action items or proclamations on the agenda. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from Citizens in which people are given three minutes to address the Board on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Today's public meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

Total payroll employment in Josephine County fell by 290 jobs in January, but it was little changed over the past year. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 32,436 people working in Josephine County in January for a seasonally-adjusted jobless rate of 7.4%, which was up sharply over the 5.8% mark in December. Retail trade had the largest estimated decline while seasonal industries leisure & hospitality and construction also lost jobs. Transportation, warehousing & utilities, professional & business services, private education & health services, and financial activities all declined in the first month of 2025. Manufacturing bucked the overall trend with a gain of 20 jobs in January. Federal government fell by 20 jobs. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County was little changed, up by 20 jobs. Industries adding jobs since January 2024 included leisure & hospitality (+260) and other services (+70). Industries losing jobs over the year were retail trade (-130), manufacturing (-110), professional & business services (-70), wholesale trade (-40) and construction (-30). Government employment rose by 80 jobs over the year. Gains were posted in state (+50) and local government (+30).