Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office corralled a couple of local fugitives on outstanding warrants over the weekend. The Sheriff's Office reports the first incident occurred on Friday at 9:18 p.m. when deputies arrested a 30-year-old man in the 300-block of Redwood Highway right in front of Affordable Truck & RV in Grants Pass. Deputies said they spotted the man driving a vehicle and knew that his driving privileges had been suspended. He was also wanted on a Josephine County warrant for Probation Violation and one of the conditions was for him not to drive without a license. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail and his vehicle was towed. The second incident happened on Saturday at 2:42 p.m. when deputies arrested a 37-year-old woman in the 100-block of South Hussey Avenue in Cave Junction. Deputies said the woman was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Theft. She was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested at least four people for attempting to steal from Walmart during the first half of the weekend. The Police Department reports the first incident occurred on Friday afternoon when officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at the store on NE Terry Lane. Police said a 43-year-old man passed all points of purchase with more than $295 worth of Walmart merchandise. They said the man made no attempt to pay for the items and he was detained by loss prevention. Officers placed him into custody and lodged him at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft. The second incident happened on Saturday morning when a 41-year-old woman was detained for trying to steal more than $227 worth of items from Walmart. She was placed into custody and -- when she was escorted to a patrol vehicle -- she fell down and claimed a medical emergency. After being cleared by doctors at Three Rivers Medical Center, she was lodged in jail for 2nd-Degree Theft. The third incident took place on Saturday evening when two 21-year-old women stole around $34 worth of items from Walmart by skip-scanning. They were seen committing the crime by loss prevention and detained. Because they cooperated with the investigation, both women were cited for 3rd-Degree Theft and released.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested two juveniles for throwing rocks at and damaging vehicles on Redwood Highway near Wilderville late last week. According to OSP, troopers responded to multiple reports on Thursday and Friday of two boys throwing large and small rocks at vehicles in the 10,800-block of US Highway 199. Troopers said they were able to locate the two young suspects with the help of driver and witness statements. Both admitted to throwing rocks and hitting passing vehicles. One of those vehicles was an OSP patrol car. The victimized drivers included a 50-year-old Central Point man, a 68-year-old O'Brien man, a Medford man and a state trooper. Combined damages to the vehicles was well over $1,000. A 14-year-old Grants Pass boy and a 14-year-old Wilderville boy were charged with Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, Disorderly Conduct and Reckless Endangering. They were cited to appear in court and released to their parents.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for trespassing at a local church and refusing to leave over the weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at the Seventh Day Adventist Church on NE 9th Street on Saturday shortly after 11 a.m.. Police said they contacted the 41-year-old man on church property. They said he was told by church security to leave about 30 times prior to their arrival and he refused. Officers told him to leave multiple times as well and when security advised they wanted to pursue charges, he was placed into custody at Taser point. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving during a weekend welfare check at a downtown convenience store. According to the Police Department, officers responded to multiple reports of a male subject hunched over in the driver's seat of a gray Nissan Pathfinder parked at or near 7-Eleven in the 700-block of SW 6th Street on Saturday at about 6:30 p.m.. Police said they contacted the 56-year-old man and he demonstrated numerous indicators of impairment. The suspect admitted to driving to the store and he performed poorly in field sobriety tests. He also provided a breath sample that was more than twice the legal driving limit. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. His vehicle was parked and secured at 7-Eleven.

 

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office arrested a wanted fugitive late last week at a Medford convenience store. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies arrested 34-year-old Joshua Edward McLaughlin of Butte Falls on Friday afternoon. He was wanted on eight warrants including 1st-Degree Burglary and multiple counts of Felony Attempt to Elude Police. He was lodged at the Jackson County Jail. Deputies said McLaughlin eluded law enforcement early Friday morning by intentionally crashing into a Central Point Police Department patrol car. While ramming the patrol car, he also struck a Central Point officer with his side-view mirror. The officer is okay and expected to make a full recovery. The Central Point Police Department has probable cause to add charges of Elude, Felony Hit-and-Run, Reckless Driving, three counts of Reckless Endangering, 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief, 3rd-Degree Assault, Attempted 3rd-Degree Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Assault on a Peace Officer. On Friday afternoon, Jackson County undercover detectives tracked down and tailed McLaughlin to the OK Market on North Riverside Avenue in Medford. They followed the suspect into the market and advised he was under arrest. The suspect attempted to flee out the back of the store, but he was quickly outperformed and placed into handcuffs. Jackson County Public Information Officer Aaron Lewis said the case is open and ongoing with deputies and detectives continuing the investigation.

 

A Grants Pass Police Department investigation has resulted in the arrest of a man for felony robbery. The Police Department reports officers arrested 57-year-old Lawrence J. Gluff at Walmart on NE Terry Lane on Saturday at 5 p.m.. Few details about the investigation have been disclosed, but Gluff was wanted in connection with a recent robbery, he was tracked down at Walmart and placed into custody. An anonymous tipster helped law enforcement find the suspect. Gluff was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for suspicion of Felony 1st-Degree Robbery. He was being held without bail. Police said a folding knife that was in Gluff's possession was given to a female acquaintance at his request. His personal belongings were dropped off at his campsite on the west side of Riverside Park.

 

Grants Pass Police were forced to use non-lethal measures at the beginning of the weekend to apprehend a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant. According to the Police Department, officers arrested the 33-year-old male subject outside the Alibi Bar on NW 6th Street on Friday shortly before 10 p.m.. Police said an officer and off-duty corrections officer observed the man near the bar. When additional units responded, the suspect attempted to run away. After Taser deployment and an assist from a K-9 officer, he was placed into custody. The suspect was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from convictions for multiple counts of Burglary and Criminal Mischief. He was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for an evaluation before being cleared. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of 3rd-Degree Escape. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Two motorists were injured when their vehicles struck a dead tree that fell onto Redwood Highway near Wilderville. Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response and the Oregon State Police were dispatched to the crashes that occurred near milepost 10.5 of US Highway 199 on Saturday at 2:02 p.m.. Rural Metro officials said a dead tree fell onto the highway and the two drivers were unable to avoid hitting it. They said both drivers were transported by AMR Ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. OSP identified the patients as a 62-year-old Grants Pass man who was driving a Kia Rio and a 53-year-old Klamath Falls man who was driving a Dodge Ram Pro. No one else was hurt. Rescue crews worked to provide care to the injured drivers, control north- and southbound traffic and remove remnants of the tree from the highway. Both vehicles sustained significant damage and were towed to Grants Pass.