Local News

A Cave Junction resident had to be extricated from their home yesterday after strong winds toppled a tree onto their residence. On Monday at 2:30 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District responded to an initial report of an electrical outage when dispatchers indicated a fallen tree had severed a power line in the 600-block of Hummingbird Road. Upon arrival, IVFD crews observed a large diameter tree had uprooted and fallen onto a house with an occupant trapped inside. The incident was escalated, with American Medical Response and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office dispatched to the scene. Rescue crews used chainsaws and circular saws and -- with assistance from neighbors -- the trapped individual was extricated from the damaged structure. The unidentified victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center. Pacific Power responded to secure the downed power line and the American Red Cross was notified to provide shelter assistance to the victim.

 

Strong winds wreaked havoc in Josephine County on Monday -- including the uprooting of seven trees near Chinook Park east of Grants Pass. Rural Metro firefighters -- aided by several nearby residents -- worked for over two hours using chainsaws to reopen Almar Road. A nearby mobile home was spared after several trees fell within six feet of the structure. Powerlines were knocked down and electrical outages occurred in the area -- some of them into the nightime hours. Rural Metro also responded to power line problems on Monument Drive, West Jones Creek Road, Redwood Highway near Wilderville, Peckerwood Lane, Demaray Drive, New Hope Road and Helms Road. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to power line problems on NE Fairview Avenue, SE Portola Drive and NE 9th Street. Crews also assisted Rural Metro with the incident on Almar Road.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant early yesterday during a patrol check at the Bottle Drop Center. The Police Department reports officers arrested 51-year-old Gabriel Gene Suiter at the recycling depot in the 1,000-block of Rogue River Highway on Monday shortly after 8 a.m.. Police said Suiter was trespassing at the Bottle Drop Center behind their roped-off area while actively gathering a broken glass mirror that did not belong to him. He initially gave officers a false name and birth date. Further investigation revealed his true identity as well as the reason why he lied. Suiter was wanted on a 2018 Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation. He told officers that he had the warrant for over a year and admitted to not checking in with his corrections officer. His corrections officer was notified about the contact. Suiter was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and he was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on two local warrants and for drug possession last night after finding him at an eastside restaurant. According to the Police Department, officers received a tip that 60-year-old Clint Edward Robertson was at Elmer's Restaurant on NE Agness Avenue on Monday around 8:25 p.m.. Police said they were looking for Robertson because he was wanted on a Medford felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Probation Violation related to an arrest for 4th-Degree Assault. He was also wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Methamphetamine Possession. During contact with Robertson, he was found to be in possession of a glass pipe with a crystal residue that tested positive as meth. It was seized for destruction. Robertson complained of pain and demanded medical attention. He was taken by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for an evaluation. After being cleared by the hospital, he was lodged in jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist on an outstanding warrant early yesterday following a complaint in the downtown area. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to a red minivan that was parked in an alley in the 100-block of SE K Street on Monday at 9:05 a.m.. Police said the owners of Rogue Valley Brewing Supply called 9-1-1 to report the minivan was parked on their property and their gate had been damaged. They said they did not know who owns the vehicle, but it appears it was being lived in. Responding officers contacted 56-year-old David Alan O'Rourke, Sr., and learned that he was wanted on a Curry County warrant for failing to appear in court for a traffic offense. He was also found to be driving with a suspended license. O'Rourke was placed into custody and lodged in jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Driving While Suspended. His minivan was impounded.

 

Authorities were investigating a machete attack that occurred in the Wolf Creek area last weekend. The Oregon State Police assisted the Josephine County Sheriff's Office with a serious felony assault crime in which the victim was struck in the back of the head by a machete in the 400-block of Old Stage Road late Saturday night. OSP assistance consisted of providing medical attention to the unidentified victim until relieved by American Medical Response. Troopers also assisted by setting and maintaining a perimeter around the crime scene as well as collecting the suspected weapon, which was turned over to the Sheriff's Office. So far, the Sheriff's Office has released no information about the violent incident. In its report, OSP mentioned a 31-year-old St. Helens man and two men -- ages 55 and 40 -- from Wolf Creek. As of Monday, the investigation was ongoing.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for another case of felony vandalism last weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested 31-year-old Jose Manuel Urias for the incident at Tan Republic in the 1500-block of NE F Street on Sunday morning. Police said Urias was called in for smashing a window at the business along with damaging multiple pieces of property including chairs. They said the owner was in fear for her safety due to his violent and reckless behavior. According to the report, the damage was estimated to be around $2,300. Officers arrived on scene and placed Urias into custody. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail. Last week, Urias was arrested for shattering glass in one of the front doors of the Josephine County Courthouse.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving and more after he backed out of a driveway in the south part of the city and crashed into a passing vehicle before fleeing the scene. The Police Department reports officers and emergency crews responded to the two-vehicle collision near the corner of Williams Highway and SE Grandview Avenue on Saturday evening. Police said an investigation determined that 38-year-old Kenneth Joseph Feith was impaired when he backed his friend's Nissan Titan from a driveway at a high rate of speed and did not stop for passing traffic. They said he struck the passenger side of a southbound Buick sedan driven by a woman who swerved to avoid impact. The female motorist gave officers a thorough description of the suspect vehicle, which allowed law enforcement to track it down and place Feith into custody. He had offered to drive his friend home because the friend was highly impaired. Feith reportedly refused to participate in field sobriety tests or provide a breath sample, so a search warrant was obtained and he was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented a high level of impairment. He was subsequently lodged in jail for Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage and Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for his boorish behavior near Riverside Park last weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a traffic complaint in the 200-block of East Park Street on Sunday at 9:25 a.m.. Police said 43-year-old Dennis Wilson Campbell intentionally threw clothing and boots into the middle of the roadway which caused public alarm. When they asked him about his actions, he told them he threw the clothing into the roadway to get people's attention. He refused to clean up his items and he threatened to fight officers if they attempted to arrest him. Campbell refused to exit his truck when told he was under arrest. He was extracted from the driver's seat and resisted by pulling his arms away from officers in an attempt to break their grip. He was carried outside and placed onto the ground by multiple officers before being placed into custody. Campbell was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest. He was being held without bail. His truck was secured and left parked on the side of the roadway.