Local News

An Illinois Valley man is in custody for allegedly committing a total of 13 old and new violent crimes involving weapons. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 28-year-old male subject identified as "Austin Keith Owsley" in the 2700-block of Lakeshore Drive near Selma at 3:34 p.m. Thursday. The Sheriff's Office provided few details about the arrest, but Owsley was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for 1st-Degree Robbery, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, 4th-Degree Assault and Interfering with Making a Police Report. Owsley was additionally charged with Felon in Possession of a Weapon, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Possession of a Short-Barreled Shotgun, Pointing a Firearm at Another Person, Menacing, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and two counts of Attempt to Commit a Felony Crime. No other information was disclosed. Owsley was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail where he was being held on $250,000 bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant while contacting another man in the downtown area last night. The Police Department reports officers arrested a 30-year-old male subject in the 300-block of NW 6th Street on Thursday at 8:42 p.m.. Police said they were contacting another man during a downtown patrol check when the subject they identified as "Jacob Levi Reeder" saw them and started running. He was tracked down and detained a short time later when officers discovered the reason why he was fleeing. Reeder was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation. He was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Reeder has been arrested five times for violating his parole since March 30th of last year.

 

A report of people smoking marijuana in a Grants Pass city park last night led to the arrest of a man on a statewide felony warrant. Grants Pass police officers responded to the reported city ordinance violation at Westholm Park on Thursday around 6:25 p.m.. Police said they contacted two men at the park including 32-year-old Dalton Styles Johnson. He was found to be wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for an unspecified weapons offense. Styles was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Officers said the report of people smoking marijuana at the park was unfounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman wanted on a local felony warrant during a patrol check at a city park late yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers contacted the 50-year-old female subject at Morrison Centennial Park on Rogue River Highway at about 5:15 p.m. Thursday. Police said they were looking for the woman when they received an anonymous tip that she was at the city park. She was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for an unspecified family offense. The suspect -- identified by GPPD as "Kristine Donna Davidson" -- was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested man on an outstanding warrant while investigating a shoplifting incident at Walmart yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a theft complaint at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Thursday at 2:33 p.m.. Police said a 36-year-old male subject admitted to walking past all points of sale at Walmart with $159 worth of merchandise without making any attempt to pay. He was later found to be wanted on a Douglas County felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Contempt of Court. The suspect was lodged in jail on the warrant plus a new charge of 2nd-Degree Theft. The stolen merchandise was returned to Walmart and the suspect's property was logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted three campers from city parks for ordinance violations on Thursday. At Riverside Park, a woman was cited for Scattering Rubbish and trespassed for 30 days. Another woman's dogs were running loose in the park, so she was cited for Dogs Off Leash and she was also trespassed for 30 days. At Tussing Park, a man was cited for parking his motorcycle on the grass and Buffer Zone Violation. He was issued a 30-day exclusion.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a young woman and her boyfriend for stealing thousands of dollars from the woman's elderly grandmother earlier this year. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 20-year-old female subject and her 21-year-old boyfriend at Motel 6 on NE 7th Street around midday Wednesday. Police said a woman in her mid-80s called 9-1-1 to report the incident. The caller said she allowed her granddaughter and her boyfriend to stay at her residence from January until April. During that time, the subjects allegedly stole her debit card and checkbook, taking about $6,000 through ATM withdrawals and cashed checks. Detectives contacted the grandmother's son-in-law who sent photos of the cashed checks and said he believed the subjects were staying with the granddaughter's mother in a motorhome near Walmart. They contacted the mother who directed them to Motel 6. Upon contact with the subjects at the motel, they admitted to taking the elderly woman's debit card and checks, and using them without her permission. The young suspects were placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Theft, Felony 1st-Degree Forgery and Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card, also a felony. Both were being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a local felony warrant this week following a trespassing complaint at a local fast food restaurant. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at the Taco Bell on NE Terry Lane late Wednesday night. Police said they contacted a 41-year-old male subject who was yelling at customers while holding an open container of beer. They said he was highly intoxicated and had refused to leave the premises. A routine records check showed that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Methamphetamine Possession, so he was placed into custody. While in the back of the patrol car, the man became extremely hostile, telling the officer that he was going to kill him, his family and that he should "die a horrible death." He then intentionally hit his head on the metal partition, causing a cut that required medical attention. He was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center where he received a bandage for his self-inflicted injury, but refused a CT scan. The doctor refused to medically clear him until he got the scan, which he finally did. The suspect was medically cleared and then transported to the Josephine County Jail where he was being held on a no-bail detainer. His property was logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a felon for violating his post-prison supervision by driving while impaired in the downtown area this week. The Police Department reports officers initiated a traffic stop on a white Ford pickup driven by a 62-year-old male subject near the corner of NE 7th Street and Voorhies Way on Wednesday afternoon. Police said they observed the subject whom they knew by sight driving his pickup near Riverside Park while making several moving violations. Officers followed him and eventually pulled him over in the lot behind Arco at 7th and M streets. According to the report, the man displayed several signs of impairment and refused to participate in field sobriety tests. A search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented his high level of impairment. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Driving While Suspended and Felony Parole Violation. His pickup was impounded and hauled away by Goodfellas Towing.