KLDR - Local News

ODF Reports Salt Creek Fire 73% Contained & Team Transition Now Underway

The Salt Creek Fire in Jackson County is heading toward full containment and a team transition is now underway. The Oregon Department of Forestry reported this morning that the wildfire burning between Eagle Point and Butte Falls was 4,102 acres with containment at 73%. Due to this progress, ODF Incident Management Team #1 is beginning the process of transitioning the fire back to the local districts to continue working the incident. During this time, resources will begin to demobilize, allowing some personnel and equipment to be reassigned to other wildfires burning across the state. With this transition, 961 personnel were assigned to the fire today including 37 20-person hand crews backed by 28 engines, 17 water tenders and seven bulldozers. Aircraft -- including four Type 1, one Type 2 and two Type 3 helicopters as well as single-engine air tankers -- will be ordered if necessary. These resources will continue to mop up into the interior of the fire and get as much of the blaze contained as possible before turning it to back over to the local ODF districts. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office canceled the Level 1 "Be Ready" evacuation notices for Zones JAC-19 and JAC-21, but the rest of the notices remain in effect. The Medford District BLM has temporarily closed its lands in the area for safety. The Salt Creek Fire was first reported on July 7th. The estimated cost of the firefight was $11.8 million this morning. The cause remains under investigation.

Posted on 7/16/24 11:29AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Incarcerated Man for Outstanding Warrants plus Domestic Violence

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on three outstanding warrants plus domestic violence charges after an incident at a local apartment complex yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at Rogue View Gardens on Fruitdale Drive on Monday at about 2:30 p.m.. Police said a woman's father called 9-1-1 to report that his daughter was being held against her will by her boyfriend at an apartment occupied by the man's aunt. The father also reported that his daughter was pregnant with her boyfriend's child. Upon arrival, officers negotiated with the aunt, the daughter appeared and they were given consent to search the home. They located the 22-year-old boyfriend and discovered that he was wanted on warrants issued by GPPD and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. Charges contained in the warrants included Felony Assault, Probation Violation related to Felony Assault and failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. Further investigation revealed that the arrestee was fighting with somebody on Sunday night and when the daughter tried to intervene, she was hurt and placed in fear of serious physical injury from her boyfriend's actions. GPPD deployed two K-9 officers to the front and rear of the apartment, and the man surrendered. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus new charges of Felony 4th-Degree Domestic Assault and Menacing. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 7/16/24 11:27AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Arrested Ashland Man for Multiple Crimes after Traffic Stop near Murphy

The Oregon State Police jailed an Ashland man for multiple crimes after catching him with a stolen vehicle on Williams Highway near Murphy late yesterday. OSP reports state troopers spotted a Ford Transit cargo van near milepost 7.5 of Highway 238 on Monday at 5:52 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the cargo van after learning that it had been recently stolen in Ashland. The driver of the vehicle -- identified by OSP as "31-year-old Thomas Harley Ray Epperson" -- was placed into custody. His passenger was identified as a 33-year-old Ashland woman. She was detained, but not arrested. Epperson was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon. He was held without bail. The registered owner of the recovered cargo van responded to the scene to retrieve his vehicle. Another vehicle -- a Dodge Ram 1500 -- was also listed as stolen by the suspect, but no other information was provided by OSP.

Posted on 7/16/24 11:25AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Collared Man on Coos Bay PD Warrant in Downtown Patrol Check

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outside warrant during a patrol check in the downtown area early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers contacted the 31-year-old male subject near the corner of SE 7th and M streets on Monday at 10:37 a.m.. During contact, officers discovered that the subject was wanted on a Coos Bay Police Department warrant for Felony Probation Violation. The man was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine and a small meth pipe that were seized for destruction. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and he has since been transferred to Coos Bay PD. He was warned for the drug violation.

Posted on 7/16/24 11:24AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Woman for Struggling with Officers during Welfare Check

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for struggling with officers during a Monday afternoon welfare check in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a report of a female subject requesting medical attention and acting disorderly in the 1900-block of NW Vine Street near Black Bear Diner at 1:55 p.m. yesterday. Police arrived on scene and contacted the 47-year-old woman whom they said showed signs of impairment and was unable to communicate what was wrong. The woman was detained and she began forcibly resisting by kicking and pulling away from officers. She was eventually subdued and placed into custody. The suspect was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail for Resisting Arrest. She was also uncooperative with jail deputies and confined to a restraint chair.

Posted on 7/16/24 11:23AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Woman for Aggressive Behavior at Morrison Centennial Park

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for her aggressive behavior at a city park early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to the incident at Morrison Centennial Park on Rogue River Highway on Monday at 9:10 a.m.. Police said a 35-year-old female subject shouted at people in the park and -- at one point -- she grabbed a large stick and waved it around at people. She was pointing the stick at people and shouting random statements when officers arrived on scene. According to the report, the woman's behavior caused public alarm that prompted multiple 9-1-1 calls. However, no was hurt during the incident. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. She was also trespassed from Morrison Park for 30 days.

Posted on 7/16/24 11:21AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Well-Known Offender for "Grazing" in Downtown Safeway

Grants Pass Police arrested a "frequent flyer" for grazing his way through a downtown supermarket last weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at the Safeway on SE 7th Street on Sunday morning. Police said the 30-year-old male subject was eating food while walking through the store and when he was confronted by an employee, he got into a verbal altercation with the worker who asked him to leave. Officers caught up to the subject outside Safeway and recognized him as a person who has been arrested multiple times for consuming merchandise that he did not pay for. He was warned for trespassing, but immediately returned to the store in a demonstration of defiance. This time, he was placed into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Criminal Trespass. His corrections officer was contacted and requested he be held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show the suspect has been arrested numerous times for various crimes since the beginning of the year and at least four times for Parole Violation since March of last year.

Posted on 7/16/24 11:20AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Jailed GP Man for Hitting Another Man with Metal Pipe in Weekend Fight

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Grants Pass man for striking another man with a metal pipe and injuring him last weekend. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 39-year-old male subject for the incident in the 100-block of Iris Lane on Saturday night. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report the subject used a metal pipe to hit her boyfriend in the arm which she said was broken. The caller said the two men were actively engaged in a fight when the assault occurred. She was trying to get her boyfriend into her vehicle so they could escape from the property. Upon arrival, deputies contacted the victim and confirmed a serious injury before the woman drove her boyfriend to the hospital for treatment. They located the suspect on the property and placed him into custody. The suspect -- identified by deputies as "Matthew Lee Hawkins" -- was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on charges of Felony 2nd-Degree Assault and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 7/16/24 6:41AM by Sam Marsh

GP Office of OSP Assisted Jackson County Officers with Suspect Arrest in Chase

The Grants Pass Office of the Oregon State Police assisted the Medford Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff's Office by arresting a fleeing motorist on Interstate 5. OSP reports troopers pursued a Jeep Comanche driven by the 24-year-old male subject at speeds of up to 115 miles per hour before he crashed into a tree after attempting to turn down a side street early Saturday morning. According to the report, the man -- identified by OSP as 24-year-old "Justin Ryan Trompeter" -- was wanted for Kidnapping, Robbery and other domestic violence-related charges. After the crash, Trompeter was placed into custody without further incident. He was transported to Providence Medford Medical Center where he was cited for Felony Attempt to Elude Police and Reckless Driving. After Trompeter was medically cleared at the hospital, custody was transferred to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. He was lodged at the Medford jail facility for the crimes he committed in Jackson County. His wrecked vehicle was impounded.

Posted on 7/16/24 6:40AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Incarcerated Motorist for Impaired Driving after Weekend Traffic Call

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving after a weekend traffic complaint in the Redwood area. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a Chevrolet Aveo between the walls of the Grants Pass Parkway on Sunday afternoon. Police said a fellow motorist observed the male driver of the silver car passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle on Redwood Avenue at George Tweed Boulevard, blocking traffic. The caller reportedly awakened the driver and he sped off toward town. The suspect car was speeding and passing other vehicles dangerously in the oncoming travel lane. Officers initiated a traffic stop and contacted the 20-year-old driver. He showed signs of impairment from poly-drug use and performed poorly in field sobriety testing, so he was placed into custody. Drug paraphernalia including nitrous canisters, pipes with a sticky brown substance, baggies with white residue and alcohol containers were seized from his vehicle as evidence. After a stop at Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw, the suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Controlled Substances and Alcohol. His car was impounded.

Posted on 7/16/24 6:38AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Snared Motorist for Weekend DUII after He Wrecked Car near Murphy

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving after he wrecked his vehicle near Murphy. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle crash in the 300-block of Grays Creek Road on Saturday evening. Deputies said an investigation indicated that a 56-year-old male driver lost control of a 2024 Toyota Prius which rolled onto its top in a ditch. They said the driver was able to extricate himself from the wreckage and he was not seriously hurt. The driver reportedly displayed signs of impairment at the scene and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. The suspect was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. He was lodged at the Grants Pass Sobering Center and his wrecked car was impounded.

Posted on 7/16/24 6:31AM by Sam Marsh

Josephine County Weather Event Brought Some Lightning, Wind and Sprinkles

The weather event that came into Josephine County late yesterday brought some lightning, a lot of wind and a small sprinkle of moisture in some areas. Rural Metro Fire Department reports emergency services responded to a number of downed trees and other wind damage. Dust kicked up from erratic winds in the New Hope and Murphy areas prompted a number of calls thinking it was smoke. There was only one fire reported near Grants Pass on Hornet Lane in the New Hope area. It was quickly contained by a resident using a tractor and extinguished by firefighters. The fire was not from a lightning strike. The Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Forestry responded to a small grass fire in the 200-block of Caves Highway in Cave Junction on Monday at 9:12 p.m.. It was quickly knocked down and the cause was under investigation.

Posted on 7/16/24 6:29AM by Sam Marsh