Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office recovered three stolen vehicles while evicting two squatters from a property near Grants Pass late yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 500-block of Pinecrest Drive on Wednesday at 4:05 p.m.. Deputies said they spoke to the property owner who advised that he had multiple people living on his land that he did not know, and the property was for sale. A woman in a large fifth-wheel trailer told deputies she was invited to live on the property and help clean it up by a 66-year-old man she identified as "Donald Gregg." Gregg arrived on scene, explained he had been interested in buying the property with a VA loan and that he needed to clean it up so the loan would go through. He had the woman and some friends move in with him so they could help. However, the man did not have a realtor and had not yet applied for any loan. During the investigation, deputies located three stolen vehicles -- including a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a Polaris ATV -- on the property. They were towed away and the registered owners were contacted. Gregg was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Possession of Stolen Vehicles, 1st-Degree Theft, Criminal Mischief and Criminal Trespass as well as Probation Violation. The woman was cited to appear in court for Criminal Trespass. All the squatters were trespassed and had until noon today to remove their belongings.

 

Grants Pass Police corralled a Josephine County Community Corrections client on a statewide felony warrant this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 32-year-old female subject at the Corrections Office on NW 4th Street on Tuesday afternoon. Police said they were alerted by staff that the woman was at the office to check in with her corrections officer. They said she was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation stemming from convictions for Felony Attempt to Elude Police and Driving While Suspended. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for stealing food from the south Dollar Tree and then fighting with two female witnesses who tried to stop him. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the incident at the store on NE Agness Avenue on Tuesday afternoon. Police said the 39-year-old male subject ate food inside the Dollar Tree and stole a small amount of merchandise from the store by passing all points of sale without paying. They said the man was confronted by two female witnesses of the crime outside the store and he fought with the women before fleeing the scene on foot. The suspect ran across the Grants Pass Parkway and was located by police a short time later hiding in a field behind WinCo Foods. He was placed into custody and the stolen items were recovered. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and 3rd-Degree Theft. Due to the violent nature of the crime, he was being held with no scheduled bail. His disabled minivan was towed away.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for playing a dangerous game on Redwood Highway in southwest Grants Pass yesterday. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies were alerted to a male subject who kept crossing back and forth while dodging traffic on US Highway 199 near Dowell Road on Wednesday around 3:30 p.m.. Arriving deputies witnessed the incident and contacted the man who stated he crossed the highway only so he could cross the highway again to get back to the other side. One deputy commented that it was almost as if the man was playing the video game "Frogger" with real vehicles. Fortunately, no one got hurt. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested three campers on outstanding warrants during city park patrol checks on Wednesday. The Police Department reports officers contacted a 32-year-old man at Westholm Park and discovered that he was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for impaired driving. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail and has since been transferred to the Jackson County Jail in Medford. Police contacted a 38-year-old man at Kesterson Park and learned that he was wanted on a Douglas County warrant for failing to appear in court for Vehicle Theft. He was cited to appear in court and then handed over to Options for drug treatment assistance. Officers contacted a 37-year-old man at Riverside Park and discovered that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failure to appear in court for Larceny. He was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine. He was lodged in jail in lieu of posting $20,000 bail.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted three city park campers for repeat ordinance violations early Wednesday. At Baker Park, one man was cited for Improper Utilization of Space and Scattering Rubbish, while another man was cited for Scattering Rubbish. Both were issued 30-day exclusions. A total of 12 camps were posted with 72-hour notices and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network. At Kesterson Park, a man was cited for drug possession and trespassed for 30 days. A total of six camps were posted with 72-hour notices and an e-mail was sent to UCAN.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant after contacting him at a state office in northwest Grants Pass yesterday. OSP reports officers contacted the 45-year-old male subject in the parking lot of the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Wednesday at 2:41 p.m.. Troopers said they spotted the man and knew that he was wanted on a local bench warrant for failing to appear in court. The underlying charge was not disclosed. According to OSP, the suspect was cooperative and admitted his identity so he was cited to appear in court and then released.

 

Grants Pass Police cited both drivers after a collision between two vehicles in the north part of the city last night. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency personnel responded to the crash in the 1600-block of NW 6th Street on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m.. Police said an investigation determined a man was driving a 2024 Subaru Outback south on 6th Street when he ran a red light at Hillcrest Drive and slammed into an eastbound 2007 Hyundai sedan driven by another male motorist. A female passenger in the Subaru was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for chest pain caused by her seatbelt. A female passenger in the Hyundai complained of shoulder and leg pain, but declined medical attention. Following the investigation, the driver of the Subaru was cited for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device and the driver of the Hyundai was cited for No Insurance.

 

A Portland area truck driver escaped serious injury when he crashed a commercial vehicle on Interstate 5 on Mount Sexton early yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle accident in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 70 shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday. Troopers said an investigation revealed the 55-year-old Clackamas man was driving a Peterbilt semi-truck and trailer when he fell asleep at the wheel and veered off the freeway, crashing into a speed sign. According to OSP, the trucker was not hurt, the semi sustained only minor damage and it did not need to be towed. The Oregon Department of Transportation responded to assist state troopers. It appears no citations were issued.