Local News

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters were extremely active last week while protecting the community. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 644 calls for service along with 241 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 52 arrests, 41 citations, 69 warnings and 14 highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 84 traffic stops in the city and made 21 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) contacted a total of 291 potential trouble-makers while arresting two people, citing 26 more and warning 101 others. The CRT unit also trespassed 17 individuals and posted 109 transient camps. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 113 calls last week including 24 for emergency medical service, four reports of fire or smoke, nine lift assists, four rescue situations, five assists to other agencies and three false alarms. The 9-1-1 Dispatch Center fielded a total of 997 emergency calls.

 

The City of Grants Pass has a new police captain -- former Lieutenant Justin DeKrueger was promoted to Grants Pass Police Captain on Monday. Throughout his career, DeKrueger has exemplified the principal of public service leadership, excelling in every role he has held -- from patrol officer to corporal to sergeant to detective sergeant and both operations and administrative lieutenant. Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman said Captain DeKrueger's unwavering commitment to serving the community with integrity, compassion and a tireless work ethic has made him an invaluable asset to the GPPD team. As Captain, Hensman said they are confident DeKrueger will continue to lead with the same dedication and humility that has characterized his career. He said the entire department is thrilled to support him as he embarks on his new journey, and they look forward to seeing the positive impact he will make in his new role.

 

Grants Pass City Council President Vanessa Ogier and her mom Cindy Ogier arrived Saturday in Washington, DC, and snagged the first spot in line to camp outside the US Supreme Court, hoping to be among those allowed in the limited public seating for today's oral arguments on a case that originated in their hometown. Lawyers for Grants Pass are urging Supreme Court justices to overturn a lower court's ruling that barred the southern Oregon city of 40,000 from enforcing anti-camping regulations against "involuntary homeless" people who have nowhere else to go. The Oregonian reports a decision, expected by the end of June, is expected to be one of the most significant rulings to address homelessness in more than four decades. Vanessa Ogier and her mother Cindy Ogier rented an Airbnb nearby and took turns maintaining their space. Sitting in camping chairs beside the hedge bordering the south edge of the courthouse, they were dressed in extra layers Sunday night under cloudy skies as the temperature was forecast to dip to the low 40s. The elder Ogier said attending a Supreme Court hearing has always been on her bucket list and this one drew her because of the local connection and the issue's complexity. She said she opposes the use of the city's parks for public camping and hopes for a humane solution, though she isn't sure what that is. Council President Vanessa Ogier said she's glad the Supreme Court agreed to review the lower court's ruling, but directed any other questions to the city's legal counsel. She said she's been on the local council for four years but took the helm as its president in January.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a fugitive wanted on an out-of-state felony warrant during a welfare check at a local pizza parlor late last week. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to a male subject passed out or sleeping in the passenger seat of a Ford hatchback outside Mountain Mike's Pizza on NE F Street around 11 a.m. Friday. Police said restaurant workers called 9-1-1 after they knocked on the window of the car and got no response from the man. Responding officers awakened the man and discovered that he was wanted on a California Parole Board warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction related to dangerous drugs. According to the report, the 35-year-old man admitted to using fentanyl and lied about his name. He eventually provided his identity which led to his arrest on the outstanding warrant. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. He was awaiting extradition proceedings that will likely send him back to California.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a man who tried to elude troopers in the North Valley area yesterday. OSP reports state troopers eventually pulled over a green Ford Expedition driven by a 37-year-old man in the 200-block of Tech Way on Sunday at 10:56 a.m.. Troopers said they tried to stop the suspect vehicle for running a red light at the intersection of Monument Drive and Merlin Road. They said the vehicle continued for about one mile at slow speeds, passing numerous safe locations to pull over. According to OSP, the driver finally stopped at a family member's property and made a statement that he did not stop immediately because he did not want his vehicle towed. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempt to Elude Police and Reckless Driving. He was also cited for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for trying to elude deputies during a weekend traffic stop in Merlin. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a passenger car driven by a 44-year-old man near the intersection of Merlin Road and Merlin Avenue on Saturday around 9:25 p.m.. Deputies said the man stopped his vehicle, bailed out and tried to run away. He was apprehended a short distance away and lied about his identity because he did not have a driver's license on him. There was an unidentified passenger in the car. The suspect was charged with Attempt to Elude Police, Escape, Furnishing False Information to Police and Failure to Carry & Present a License. He was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail without any scheduled bail.

 

Police arrested a male transient for causing a ruckus at a convenience store near Grants Pass High School early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident at Pinnacle 365 on NE A Street on Sunday shortly after 6 a.m.. Police said store workers reported the 57-year-old male subject threw trash around, harassed customers and employees, and interfered with moving vehicles in the parking lot. They said his unruly conduct caused public alarm. Officers contacted the man and placed him into custody after taking photos of the trash strewn all over the store parking lot. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and trespassed from Pinnacle 365.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving following a weekend traffic stop near Williams. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Hyundai Accent drive by a 33-year-old Grants Pass man near the intersection of Water Gap and Blodgett Roads on Friday at 6:35 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the driver for failing to maintain his travel lane. They said he appeared to be visibly impaired, admitted to consuming alcohol and being under its influence. He performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. The suspect was issued a criminal citation for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and his vehicle was impounded.

 

Two separate motor vehicle accidents in Josephine County sent two people to the hospital on Saturday. At 11:03 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response and the Oregon State Police were dispatched to a single-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 71 in Sunny Valley. OSP reports an 83-year-old Grants Pass man was driving a Honda Civic when he lost control while negotiating a curve, crashed into an embankment, trees and a small fence. After being extricated through the windshield of his car, the man was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. He was either cited or warned for an unspecified violation. At 12:57 p.m., Rural Metro, AMR and OSP responded to a two-vehicle collision on Williams Highway at the entrance to Fields Home Improvement Center near Murphy. OSP reports a 75-year-old man driving a Nissan Frontier made an unsafe turn in front of a Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by a 43-year-old Grants Pass man. The motorcycle rider could not stop before crashing into the pickup. He was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The Nissan driver was not hurt, but he was cited for the traffic violation.