Local News

A local felon is in the Josephine County Jail, again, after being arrested Sunday for unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. It is the 14th arrest for 30-year-old Dustin Michael Fontana in 2024, the 5th time this month. Fontana was observed by multiple witnesses just after 3 p.m. opening the unlocked door of a Chevrolet Cavalier parked at Kentucky Fried Chicken. The complainant advised Fontana was looki9ng through the vehicle until she tapped on the window, causing Fontana to close the door and walk away. After opening another employee’s car, the employee ran out and told Fontana to leave, but he remained on the premises.When police arrived, the suspect ran towards Harbor Freight, but was caught, detained and arrested when the first victim wished to pursue charges. Upon a consent search a debit card belonging to another person was located, that Fontana stated was his sister’s and he found it on the ground downtown. The person whose name was on the card was contacted and advised her card was lost December 18th and had been used for multiple transactions. The card had since been cancelled and was logged as evidence. Fontana remained in custody this morning.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff’s office reported Sunday their phone lines were down affecting business and non-emergent lines, with the 911 lines still functioning. As of 5 p.m. Sunday evening those phone lines were working intermittently. CenturyLink is still actively trying to fix the issue, however with the excessive rains/flooding, it is proving to be difficult. If you cannot get through to the jail or non - emergent dispatch remember to use 911 only if you are having a TRUE emergency. Please only call 911 if you are having an emergency. We will update once lines are fully functioning again.

 

A 47-year-old Cave Junction man is in the Josephine County Jail following what was described by neighbors and witnesses as an exchange of gunfire that began just after 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
According to the Sheriff’s narrative, a man identified as Michael David Baze, entered a home in the 400 block of Fir Drive to confront another person about a $100 gift card that Baze believed the individual had stolen. An argument ensued between the two with another woman present in the living room. During the altercation Baze retrieved a .22 caliber rifle from a bedroom and pointed it as both his adversary and the woman. The woman attempted to disarm Baze but was pushed to the ground. Baze excited the house, walking west on Fir Drive. The reporting person saw Baze’s adversary step outside and heard a gunshot, with the bullet allegedly striking a puddle approximately 20 feet from Baze. Baze turned and fired twice in his adversary’s direction. Neighbors and a utility worker all notified 911 with the utility worker stating a bullet came within 20 feet of his location with one caller stating his neighbors were shooting at each other. Baze left the area on foot with the Oregon State Police joining the pursuit through Jubilee Park toward Old Stage Road where he was taken into custody at gunpoint and the .22 rifle was secured. Baze was transported to the Josephine County Jail and lodged facing charges of menacing/aggravated assault, pointing a firearm at another and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Further charges are pending. No one was injured during the incident.

 

The Josephine County Commissioners have called one final Business Session of 2024, a rare Tuesday meeting to take place at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium. The agenda contains two administrative actions designed to update the administrative policies and procedures for the County. The first item will be the approval of order number 2024-078, updating Administrative Policy. The second will be order number 2024-079, updating Personnel Policy. Included in the agenda are Requests and Comments from Citizens, Board Review of Public Comments, approval of a consent calendar and Matters from Commissioners. The Commissioners will then move to their conference room in the Court House for an administrative workshop slated to begin at 10 a.m. That agenda contains, among other items, filling a vacant Board of County Commissioners position, the Private Structural Fire Service Providers Ordinance, moving the Risk Manager to Human Resources, the Josephine County Hiring Freeze and moving the OSU/4H Building into the Fairgrounds Master Plan.

 

Grants Pass City Police Saturday afternoon responded to the report of two men and one woman lying on the sidewalk on Southwest G Street near 5th Street deterring business. One man of the men was arrested. One man and the woman, identified as Beau Beard and Crystal Abel, promptly gathered their belongings and left the area. The remaining man, Travis Davenport, was found to have an active misdemeanor Sheriff’s Office warrant and was taken into custody. A search of Davenport resulted in the discovery of two glass bulb shaped pieces that contained a white crystal-like substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine. Davenport was transported to the Josephine County Jail and lodged for disorderly conduct and methamphetamine possession. No bail is listed on the jail website. This was the tenth incarceration for Davenport since February.

 

The Medford Police Department has arrested a man for stabbing another man on the day after Christmas. On December 26th at approximately 6 p.m., MPD patrol officers responded to the 1,000-block of Beatty Street for a reported stabbing. Arriving officers found the male victim slumped down on the front porch and suffering from large lacerations to his head, neck and arms. Officers provided aid to control the profuse bleeding. Medford Fire personal arrived a short time later along with Mercy Flights crews who took over providing emergency medical aid. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was rushed into surgery. He is currently in stable condition at the hospital in the Intensive Care Unit. MPD Lieutenant Don Lane said the victim's female roommate witnessed the attack and informed police the suspect was known to her and the victim as 24-year-old Marzelle Omari Tyree Culver. The female advised the suspect had entered their residence unannounced, grabbed a sword from a wall display inside the home and attacked the male victim unprovoked. The suspect then attempted to attack her with the sword, but she was able to run into a separate room and the suspect fled. A description of Culver and his clothing was provided to patrol officers who began searching the area. He was ultimately located at Riverside and 10th Street where he was taken into custody without incident. Culver was lodged at the Jackson County Jail on charges of Attempted Murder, 1st-Degree Assault, 1st-Degree Attempted Assault and 1st-Degree Burglary.

 

During this busy winter holiday season, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming with the Grants Pass Police Department to urge drivers to think twice before drinking and driving. Drivers will see officers working on a special high-visibility enforcement campaign to spread the message about the dangers of drunk driving through January 2nd. Tragically, December can be a dangerous time for people on the roads. During the 2017-2021 December months, there were more than 4,500 people killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. In December 2021 alone, 1,013 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Male drivers are far more likely to be impacted by drunk driving: In December 2021, drunk male drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a much higher rate (721) compared to female drivers (208), male drivers were almost four times more likely (721) to be alcohol-impaired and involved in a fatal traffic crash than females (208) in December 2021. More parties and festivities celebrating the season bring out more drunk drivers. December can be a dangerous time for people on the roads. More parties and festivities celebrating the season bring out more drunk drivers. There are many options to help impaired drivers get home safely, such as designating a sober driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. If you see a drunk driver on the road, do not hesitate to call 911. Remember: a few dollars spent on a ride is much cheaper than a DUI, which can cost up to $10,000. NHTSA, the Grants Pass Police Department and all local law enforcement agencies want all drivers to remember this lifesaving message: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!

 

The National Weather Service has posted a Flood Watch for nearly all of southwest Oregon and northwest California from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. The Flood Watch area includes Coos, Curry, Douglas, Josephine and Jackson counties in Oregon as well as Siskiyou County in California. A series of wet frontal systems will produce periods of moderate to heavy rain through this weekend. Significant rises on local rivers, creeks and streams are expected -- especially Saturday night into early next week. Forecast precipitation totals from tonight through Sunday could reach one to three inches over the west side valleys, with three to six inches possible along the coast and in the mountains. Up to eight inches of rain could fall in the Curry coastal ranges. Excessive runoff may result in flood of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may also occur in urban areas with poor drainage. Storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris. Area creeks and streams are already running high and could flood with more heavy rains. Southwest Oregon and northwest California residents should monitor weather forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a female felon yesterday after she caused a disturbance at a south-city bank and then resisted being placed into custody. The Police Department reports officers arrested 30-year-old Carly Brooke Jensen for the incident at Key Bank on Williams Highway on Thursday at 11:37 a.m.. Police said a bank employee called 9-1-1 to report a female subject screaming at people in the parking lot. They contacted Jensen and she displayed numerous signs of impairment from a narcotic stimulant and alcohol. Jensen tried to walk away from officers and when they tried to arrest her, she resisted by refusing to place her hands behind her back. Once she was secured in handcuffs, she refused to walk to the patrol vehicle and pulled away. She was controlled and placed in the vehicle for the ride to the Josephine County Jail. Jensen was booked into jail for Resisting Arrest and the resulting Felony Parole Violation stemming from a 2022 conviction for an unspecified crime. At the request of her corrections officer, she was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Jensen has been arrested for violating her post-prison supervision seven times since January of this year.