Local News

Grants Pass Police jailed a felon for violating terms of his post-prison supervision yesterday after investigating a trespassing complaint a local bank. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident involving 29-year-old Jake Robert Thompson at the First Interstate Bank on NW 6th Street on Wednesday around 3 p.m.. Police said the bank manager called 9-1-1 to report a male subject who appeared to be under the influence of drugs trespassing on the property. They said the man was talking to himself and he was at the bank for at least two hours. Bank workers were afraid to approach him to ask him to leave. Officers arrived on scene, contacted Thompson and then contacted his corrections officer. The subject was well known to them from frequent criminal encounters. Thompson was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Parole Violation stemming from convictions for Criminal Mischief and Public Indecency. He was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Thompson has been arrested for violating his parole at least 16 times in the past 12 months.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for violating a court order early yesterday after an alleged domestic violence incident near the high school. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 400-block of NE Baker Drive on Wednesday around 12:40 a.m.. Police said 57-year-old Richard Allen Wood called 9-1-1 to report that his ex-girlfriend assaulted him before riding off on a black scooter. Responding officers found no crimes involved in the alleged domestic incident. However, police did find that Wood was the respondent in a valid no-contact order protecting his ex-girlfriend. Since he admitted she was there, he was placed into custody for violating the court order. Wood was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court and he was being held without bail. His sister was contacted to care for his dog, which was left inside the residence without any food or water.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on a statewide felony warrant and a local warrant early yesterday during a contact in the Redwood area of the city. According to the Police Department, officers observed 45-year-old Melissa Marlene Francis Burger riding a bicycle near the corner of Redwood and Kellenbeck avenues on Wednesday shortly after 8 a.m.. Police said they knew Burger by sight and they were aware that she was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation. She was also wanted on a Jackson County warrant for Fraud and Furnishing False Information to Police. Burger was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Her bicycle and other belongings were taken to a home on Schroeder Lane at her request.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local felony warrant following a short foot pursuit in the downtown area early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers spotted 34-year-old Shane Alan Barton at the corner of NW 6th and A streets near City Hall on Wednesday shortly before 9 a.m.. Police said they observed Barton fail to obey the crosswalk signal and when they attempted to contact him, he fled on foot. They said he complied after a short sprint and was found to be wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation related to a 2023 conviction for an unspecified crime. Barton was placed into custody near the corner of 5th and A streets before officers notified his corrections officer. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Selma couple while assisting the Oregon Department of Human Services yesterday. OSP reports troopers responded to assist DHS workers with the pickup of an endangered 7-year-old child at a home in the 900-block of Lakeshore Drive on Wednesday at 2:15 p.m.. During the incident, troopers contacted 46-year-old Mathew David Granger and determined that he had failed to comply with his reporting requirements as a convicted sex offender. He was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail without bail. Troopers also contacted 45-year-old Holly Renee McCloud and discovered that she was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Possession of Methamphetamine. She was cited in lieu of arrest and released.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing merchandise from Walmart and fleeing the scene yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the shoplifting incident at the store on NE Terry Lane on Wednesday at 11:50 a.m.. Police said 31-year-old Kale Phillip Luke deprived Walmart of nearly $120 worth of items by passing all points of sale without paying for them. They said he took off and ran when loss prevention officers tried to detain him. Responding officers located Luke in a field near Arby's and placed him into custody. He had stolen some rings and a Dragon Ball hat, which he discarded near the fast food restaurant. They learned he had stolen an Oregon Ducks hat from Walmart on Tuesday. Luke was lodged in jail for 2nd-Degree Theft. He was also trespassed from the big box retailer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving last night after she crashed a vehicle in front of a downtown area residence. The Police Department reports officers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck in the 700-block of SW G Street on Wednesday at 8:10 p.m.. Police said a resident called 9-1-1 to report a female subject crashed a dark blue sedan into a curb in front of their house and the woman tried to leave, but her car was stuck on the curb. No one was hurt and no other vehicles were involved. According to the report, the violent impact broke an axle on the car and flattened two of its tires. There was video surveillance footage of the accident. Officers contacted the driver whom they identified as "Karen Sholes." She showed signs of impairment and had a strong odor of alcohol on her breath. She admitted to drinking and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. Sholes was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. She was cited to appear in court and released, but her disabled car was impounded.

 

Authorities have identified skeletal remains found near Jacksonville last year as a missing Evans Valley man. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports detectives got a break in a suspicious death investigation this week when the skeletal remains were identified through a DNA comparison as 63-year-old Nathan Louis Merkel of Wimer. Merkel's skeleton was discovered on April 14th outside Jacksonville in the south Applegate area. The rugged terrain and remote area required Jackson County Search & Rescue to assist in recovering the remains. Detectives said Merkel was reported missing in September 2023. They said his next-of-kin was notified and their condolences go out to his family and friends. Detectives are investigating the case and believe Merkel died via suspicious circumstances. They have identified persons of interest who are currently in custody on unrelated charges in a different law enforcement jurisdiction. The suspects' names will be released pending further investigation and if any charges are brought against them.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office assisted the United States Marshals Service with the apprehension of a Selma man wanted on a statewide felony warrant. Sheriff's deputies and US Marshals arrested 35-year-old William Allen Tweet in the 100-block of Norman Road around midday Tuesday. Tweet was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation related to a past conviction for 1st-Degree Theft. He was also wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct. Deputies said Tweet was placed into custody while he was walking down Norman Road. They said he did not resist being arrested. Tweet was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.