Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local theft warrant early yesterday after contacting him in an unlawfully parked vehicle at Parkway Christian Church. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 46-year-old Floyd Terry Rose on Thursday morning while he was sitting in a vehicle parked near the corner of NE Fairview Avenue and Cooper Drive. Police said Rose exhibited signs of a possible drug overdose and he refused to get out of the vehicle after several requests. His dog was secured and he was extracted from the car. American Medical Response arrived on scene to evaluate him. Rose was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Theft. After being medically cleared, he was lodged in jail on the warrant. During the entire incident, Rose did not communicate or respond to officers. An additional charge of Resisting Arrest was referred to the District Attorney's Office. The vehicle was towed to a local impound yard.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local warrant early yesterday after getting a trespassing complaint at a Dutch Bros coffee stand in the south part of the city. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at the Dutch Bros in the 600-block of Redwood Highway on Thursday around 9:30 a.m.. Police said they detained 26-year-old Nick Dustin Farmer after he vandalized a Dutch Bros menu board by writing miscellaneous words on it with a marker. He left the scene, but the incident was captured on video surveillance. However, a Dutch Bros regional manager declined to pursue charges against him. Farmer was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for 3rd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was eventually tracked down at an Options for Southern Oregon facility on Harbeck Road where he removed a "wet floor" sign and started walking away with it. Farmer was placed into custody and lodged in jail on the warrant. He was also trespassed from all Dutch Bros locations in Josephine County.

 

A Cave Junction motorcyclist was hurt yesterday in a crash with a vehicle on Redwood Highway west of Grants Pass. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle collision on US Highway 199 near Helms Road on Thursday at 11:56 a.m.. OSP released very little information about the incident in its daily log, but reported that the crash occurred between a Honda Rebel motorcycle ridden by 32-year-old David Lee Swanagan and a Chevrolet Malibu driven by 53-year-old Pei Wen He Yarbrough. Swanagan was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with minor injuries. Troopers said the at-fault driver was cited for an unspecified violation and the damaged motorcycle was towed into Grants Pass.

 

An Eagle Point man was killed this week in a collision with a commercial vehicle between Sutherlin and Elkton. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle head-on collision on Highway 138 West at 4:58 a.m. Wednesday. Troopers said the preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Ford Escape driven by 38-year-old Carl Gregory Miller of Eagle Point veered into the westbound travel lane and struck an oncoming Kenworth commercial vehicle driven by 34-year-old Grant Crossgrove of Sisters. According to OSP, the Ford Escape burst into flames upon impact. Motorists on scene extricated Miller from the burning vehicle. Miller was declared deceased at the scene while Crossgrove was uninjured. The highway was impacted for approximately five hours during the on-scene investigation. Fatigue is believed to be a possible factor in the fatal crash. OSP was assisted by the Kellogg Rural Fire Department, Elkton Rural Fire Department, North Douglas Fire Department, Bay City Ambulance and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested an Illinois Valley man for impaired driving this week after a motor vehicle crash in downtown Cave Junction. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to the incident at the 76 gas station on South Redwood Highway on Wednesday shortly before the noon hour. Deputies said a private vehicle driven by 63-year-old Alec James Varner collided with an Illinois Valley Fire District engine that was refueling. Deputies determined that Varner exhibited signs of impairment. He performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was arrested for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. No injuries were reported and both vehicles sustained minor damage. The IVFD engine remains operational and will continue to serve the community without any interruption. The Sheriff's Office emphasizes the dangers of impaired driving and urges all motorists to make responsible choices to ensure the safety of all citizens.

 

Bicycle thefts around the Grants Pass area continue to be excessive and many of them go unreported. But the Grants Pass Police Department says the community can do its part to help reduce bike thefts and put thieves behind bars. According to GPPD, it's all too common for their officers to come across piles of bicycles and parts that they know are likely stolen, but none of the serial numbers on the bike frames had been reported stolen. The majority of stolen bicycle reports have the serial number listed as "unknown." If police don't have a serial number associated with a theft, getting your bicycle back to you is nearly impossible. Please take steps to secure your bicycles and not leave them out and available for local criminals. Please keep records of the serial numbers on your bicycles so law enforcement can identify them as yours and return them. Officials said you can use your smartphone to record the serial numbers of all your valuables including bicycles, electronics, firearms, lawnmowers and anything else thieves might try to take away from you. A serial number attached to a theft report could mean the difference between the return of your stolen property or never seeing it again.

 

The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received over 1,000 emergency calls over the past week. According to the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center's weekly post on Facebook, local dispatchers fielded a total of 1,018 calls between February 20th and 26th. As usual, the Grants Pass Police Department was the recipient of the bulk of the calls with 758, while American Medical Response received 335 and Grants Pass Fire-Rescue received 103. Rural Metro Fire Department received 47 calls during the reporting period while the Illinois Valley Fire District received 28, the Wolf Creek Fire Department received five, Williams Fire & Rescue received four and the Oregon Department of Forestry got three. In addition to the emergency calls, local dispatchers received a total of 472 internal calls and they made a total of 515 outbound calls. It's been a bit of a crazy week in the Communications Center, with Sunday's heavy rainfall and Monday's windstorm that brought down trees across Josephine County, with many of them landing on power lines or blocking roadways. The Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system had be taken down for maintenance on two mornings, so dispatchers went to manual mode and did everything "old school."

 

Applications are being accepted for one position on the Grants Pass Public Safety Advisory Committee. This position is for a three-year-term on the new committee. The Public Safety Advisory Committee serves as a collaborative platform for community engagement and guidance on public safety matters. The committee aims to bridge the gap between the community and Grants Pass City Council, ensuring that public safety strategies align with the needs and resources of the community. The special qualification and experience for this position is a downtown business owner. 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 by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 14th. Applications will be reviewed by the committee on Tuesday, March 18th. The City Council will make the appointment on Wednesday, April 2nd.

 

The Josephine County Public Health Department is urging residents to take precautions against the flu as case numbers are on the rise locally and across Oregon. Flu season is hitting Southern Oregon hard, with increased hospitalizations and widespread flu activity reported across the region. At its peak, nearly 9% of emergency room visits in Josephine County have been for influenza this season which is double the peak from last flu season. Officials said wastewater data from Grants Pass shows a steady increase in flu activity, reaching the highest levels since wastewater tracking began. Flu is spreading at high levels and health officials say it's important to take precautions. Washing hands often, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when feeling sick are essential steps to help prevent further spread. Flu vaccines remain available and the health department urges everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible if they have not already done so this season. Josephine County Public Health, health care providers and many area pharmacies have plenty of vaccines to help protect local residents and their loved ones.