Local News

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man for impaired driving last night after a traffic stop on Williams Highway. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a blue Ford pickup driven by a 41-year-old male subject on Highway 238 near Cloverlawn Drive on Wednesday at 6:47 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the vehicle for traffic violations and the driver showed signs of impairment. He performed poorly 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 that he was over the legal driving limit. The suspect was then transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he was lodged on charges of Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. His pickup was towed into town and impounded.

 

A California woman was killed this week when the sport utility vehicle she was riding in crashed on Interstate 5 near the City of Rogue River. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle wreck near milepost 43 of I-5 on Monday. OSP said a preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Chevrolet Trailblazer driven by 74-year-old Shawn L. Hayes of Medford struck a tire from a commercial vehicle that was lying in the slow lane. Hayes lost control of the SUV and rolled into the freeway median. Hayes sustained reported minor injuries, but her passenger -- 74-year-old Debbie S. Hyden of Yucaipa, California -- was pronounced deceased at the crash scene. Interstate 5 was impacted for about five hours during the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Rogue River Police Department, Jackson County Fire District #1 and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department assisted the United States Marshals Service with the apprehension of a nationwide fugitive this week. The Police Department reports officers and detectives arrested 24-year-old Hunter Lee Schoen at the Gospel Rescue Mission late Tuesday afternoon. Police said Schoen was wanted on a fugitive warrant issued by the Utah Attorney General's Office in Salt Lake City for Felony Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. No other details were available about the alleged crime. According to the report, officers initially checked a residence in the 700-block of SW Greenwood Avenue for the fugitive, but he was not there. Investigators then tracked him down and placed him into custody at the Gospel Rescue Mission. Schoen was lodged at the Josephine County Jail without bail pending extradition proceedings that will likely send him back to Utah.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known criminal offender for felony robbery after he stole some items from a convenience store and then fought with a worker in an effort to retain the pilfered goods. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a reported theft at the Rogue River Market & Deli on Rogue River Highway on Tuesday evening. Police said a man they identified as 37-year-old Bradley Andrew Peckham tried to conceal various items he took at the store and was confronted before exiting the business. They said he used physical force to overcome the resistance of the employee who attempted to stop him. There were no injuries reported. A photo of the suspect was sent out to patrol officers who eventually placed him into custody near Morrison Centennial Park at 7:37 p.m. with assistance of a police K-9. Peckham was subsequently booked into the Josephine County Jail for Felony 3rd-Degree Robbery and misdemeanor 3rd-Degree Theft.

 

A 9-1-1 investigation led Grants Pass Police to a local fugitive at a fast food eatery this week. According to the Police Department, officers arrested a 41-year-old male subject at the Taco Bell on NE Terry Lane on Tuesday afternoon. Police said a man they identified as "Rell Allen Baty" was located at Taco Bell after a hang-up call associated with his cell phone was pinged in the area. They said his information was run through dispatch and there was a valid warrant for his arrest through GPPD. Baty was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Unlawful Use of a Weapon. The warrant was confirmed and his corrections officer was contacted. Baty was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus the resulting Felony Parole Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Multiple agencies extinguished a vegetation fire near Cave Junction late yesterday. On Wednesday at 5:10 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, Oregon Department of Forestry and US Forest Service were dispatched to a grass fire in the 5,000-block of Westside Road. Arriving units located a half-acre fire and mounted an aggressive initial attack that included an ODF helicopter that assisted in suppression. Additional firefighters had to hike in to the blaze, which was located a good distance from any roadways. By 6:15 p.m., ODF reported crews were gaining control of the fire and estimated its size to be around one acre. Resources remained engaged with the fire through the evening hours. According to ODF, the cause of the fire was under investigation. Rural Metro Fire Department assisted in coverage of the local fire district while the incident was active.

 

Applications are being accepted for a position on the Grants Pass Historical Buildings & Sites Commission (HBSC) due to a vacancy. This position expires on December 7, 2026. The HBSC's purpose is to review proposed alterations to any historic district or designated structure in the Grants Pass Urban Growth Boundary, to promote the community's historic preservation, to advise other interested agencies on matters related to historic preservation, and to identify areas of archaeological significance and buildings of historic or archaeological significance. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the City of Grants Pass. This position is for a representative who is the owner of a business located within the Central Business District of the City of Grants Pass. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Completed applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, October 4th.

 

The Grants Pass City Council convened an emergency meeting Wednesday night to deal with the details of service to be provided to the unhoused population that have been moved from city parks to the two designated camping areas. They were also met with a chamber filled to capacity with citizens who provided over an hour of public comments. The Council passed a motion to provide the approved city campsites with standard sanitation facilities, cigarette collection cans and doggie bags with a receptacle for that waste. Non-profit organizations will be allowed to provide potable water, park benches and approved shade structures. The motion was approved on a 7-1 vote. The cost to the city for the temporary services is estimated to be $280,000. The Council then approved expanding the time allowed to stay at the designated sites to one week before citations may be issued, with a three-day time limit to move. The vote was 4-4 with Mayor Sara Bristol breaking the tie with a 'yes' vote. Multiple Councilors expressed belief that the city should consult with businesses neighboring the J Street campground that have experienced theft and vandalism with fencing as a likely solution. The panel was informed temporary fencing for the facility would cost $1,200 monthly.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved the first reading of an ordinance pertaining to a proposed development project in the North Valley area. Following a brief public hearing, the Board voted 2-0 to approve the first reading and schedule the second reading and adoption for September 11th. Board Chair John West recused himself from the hearing due to a potential conflict of interest. James Black of the Community Development Department testified that it has been a lengthy process to approve the project proposed by KND Development, LLC. He said the Rural Planning Commission first recommended approval of the project to the Board in June 2021, but there were two subsequent appeals to the Land Use Board of Appeals that were remanded back to the Board prior to yesterday's approval. With final approval next month, the comprehensive plan will be amended from Forest to Residential and the zoning map will be amended from Woodlot Resource to Rural Residential with a five-acre minimum lot size.