KLDR - Local News

GP Police Arrested Motorist for Colliding with Traffic Control Devices & Vehicle

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for colliding with traffic control devices and another vehicle before fleeing the scene late last week. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency crews responded to the incident on the Grants Pass Parkway at SE M Street on Friday at 7:15 p.m.. Police said 68-year-old Nicholas Louie Lazares was driving a Hyundai sedan when he made an improper left-hand turn onto the Parkway, crashing into a yield sign and pedestrian control pole before striking a Toyota driven by a male subject. They said Lazares continued driving away from the scene without stopping. According to the report, no one was hurt -- but the sign, pole and other vehicle sustained moderate to heavy damage. A witness to the crash followed the suspect vehicle and lost it, but not before taking photos and sharing them with officers. Following an investigation, police located Lazares a short time later in the area of SW Greenwood and Central avenues. They impounded his vehicle, which had a flat tire, a cracked windshield and front-end damage. Lazares was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage. The Oregon Department of Transportation was notified about the damage to its traffic control devices.

Posted on 2/10/25 6:16AM by Sam Marsh

Crews Extinguished IV Garage Fire before it Could Spread to Attached House

Firefighters extinguished a garage fire before it could spread to an attached house near Cave Junction early yesterday. The Illinois Valley Fire District, Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to a structure fire in the 1,000-block of White Schoolhouse Road on Sunday at 10:22 a.m.. Arriving units discovered a vehicle fire that had extended to an attached garage, but firefighters contained the blaze to the vehicle and garage before it could spread to the residence. There were no injuries reported. IVFD officials said a full investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

Posted on 2/10/25 6:15AM by Sam Marsh

GP City Council to Interview Ward 3 Candidates & Discuss Homeless Plight

The Grants Pass City Council is set to interview candidates for an empty seat on the panel and discuss the unhoused population situation at its workshop today. The City Council will open the workshop by interviewing candidates for the empty seat in Ward 3 after former Councilor Dwayne Yunker resigned in order to take care of his duties in the Oregon House of Representatives. The Council will then discuss the resting sites and hours of homeless properties. The City of Grants Pass is currently under a two-week injunction prohibiting it from enforcing homeless camping restrictions after Disability Rights Oregon and the Oregon Law Center filed a lawsuit late last month. Last Monday, the Council held a roundtable discussion with several organizations that provide services to the local unhoused population, which is estimated to be around 500 people. Today's workshop will conclude with a review of agendas for future workshops and regular meetings. It begins at 11:45 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.

Posted on 2/10/25 5:37AM by Sam Marsh

CJ City Council will Hold Public Hearing on Flood Hazard Protection Rules

The Cave Junction City Council will hold a public hearing on flood hazard protection requirements during its monthly meeting this evening. The City Council will open the meeting with an update from the Public Works Department followed by a park use request for the 2025 Little League season and a liquor license request from the Peach Rock Market for beer and wine sales. The public hearing is being held in order to adopt an ordinance dealing with flood hazard protection to comply with current federal and state standards. Compliance is required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Oregon to maintain membership in the National Flood Insurance Program. In other business, the Council will consider ordinances pertaining to flood hazard protection changes and updating city park rules. Tonight's meeting starts at 7 at Cave Junction City Hall, 222 Lister Street.

Posted on 2/10/25 5:36AM by Sam Marsh

Josephine County Sheriff Plans to Walk "Fine Line" in Enforcing Immigration Laws

Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel said he plans to "walk a fine line" when it comes to enforcing new federal immigration practices. Sheriff Daniel issued a press release on Saturday informing residents of the status of immigration practices within Josephine County and statewide law enforcement as it pertains to Oregon and federal law. Daniel said that while it is known that he took an oath "to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Oregon while enforcing those laws, these directives pit law against each other." He said he stands firm that an individual who has entered the United States illegally has committed a crime and he believes emphasis should be placed on those who commit additional crimes while here illegally. The sheriff said he has not been contacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in years, likely due to state sanctuary immigration sanctuary laws. However, that may change and ramifications of state statutes or federal directives may be forthcoming. Daniel said he will not stand in the way or inhibit federal immigration practices. He said he "will attempt to walk a fine line, for now, in an attempt to avoid what would be devastating financial impacts on our community."

Posted on 2/10/25 5:33AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police & Firefighters Battled Winter Weather While Protecting Community

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters battled winter weather last week as they worked to protect the community. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 481 calls for service along with 225 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 41 arrests, 36 citations, 46 warnings and 10 highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 65 traffic stops in the city and they made 20 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. There was no report available for the GPPD Community Response Team (CRT). Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 117 calls last week including 51 for emergency medical service, two reports of fire or smoke, 13 lift assists, 11 rescue situations, five assists to other agencies and three false alarms. Firefighters also performed nine business inspections, assisted the public seven times and properly installed two child car seats. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,097 emergency calls.

Posted on 2/10/25 5:30AM by Sam Marsh

GP Friends of the Library Promoting Peaceful Demonstration at Lease Meeting

Grants Pass Friends of the Library has organized a peaceful demonstration at a meeting that will take place tomorrow between the Josephine County Board of Commissioners and Josephine Community Library District. The meeting to renegotiate the lease for the Grants Pass branch library at 200 NW C Street is scheduled for Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the Commissioners Conference Room at the Courthouse. In a move that shocked the community, the Board voted on January 6th to terminate the lease with the library district with 30 days' notice. However, Josephine County has yet to officially notify the library of the lease termination. The agenda item for tomorrow's meeting is titled "Consideration of Lease Termination for County-Owned Real Property." Friends of the Library plans to stage a "Read-In Rally" to protect the potential termination of the library's lease. Participants are encouraged to bring a book or a sign or both. In promoting the event, the group said: "It's the lease they can do."

Posted on 2/10/25 5:29AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Assisted US Marshals Service with Apprehension of Oklahoma Fugitive

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office assisted the United States Marshals Service with the apprehension of a nationwide fugitive in Grants Pass on Thursday. The Sheriff's Office reports US Marshals and deputies arrested 39-year-old Rodney Allen Bias in the 100-block of NE Beacon Drive at 1:33 p.m. yesterday. Deputies said the national law enforcement unit requested assistance in locating Bias, who was wanted on a Tulsa County, Oklahoma, felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Stolen Vehicle Possession. The Grants Pass Police Department was advised of the operation, which ended when Bias was placed into custody following a traffic stop next to Rogue Valley Door. Bias was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and he was being held without bail pending extradition proceedings that will send him back to Oklahoma.

Posted on 2/7/25 11:48AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man for Violating Restraining Order for Second Day in a Row

For the second day in a row, Grants Pass Police jailed a man for violating a court order by going to his mother's residence on the west side of the city. The Police Department reports officers arrested 35-year-old Anthony Allen Harrell for the incident in the 1400-block of SW Bridge Street around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Police said Harrell had been arrested on Wednesday night for Restraining Order Violation after he went to his mother's home and frightened some children who were inside. They said he was released from the Josephine County Jail at about noon yesterday and he promptly returned to his mother's residence. According to the report, Harrell's mother had recently obtained a restraining order to protect her from her son. He was not allowed to be near her or her house. Officers arrived on scene and found Harrell sitting in a chair on the porch of the residence. He was placed into custody without incident, but he was flagged for twice disobeying a lawful court order. Harrell was once again lodged in jail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 2/7/25 11:47AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Woman for Parole Violation following Trespassing Complaint

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for violating her post-prison supervision while investigating a trespassing complaint yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call at Papa Murphy's Pizza on Rogue River Highway during the noon hour Thursday. Police said the store manager reported a large group of transients loitering in front of the business and he wanted them dispersed. One of those in the group was identified as 47-year-old Rose Marie McLaughlin. McLaughlin was well-known to law enforcement from frequent criminal contacts. She was placed into custody after her corrections officer was contacted and wanted her detained. McLaughlin was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Parole Violation and she was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show she has been arrested for violating her parole at least 10 times in the past 12 months.

Posted on 2/7/25 11:45AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Arrested Redmond Woman on Felony Warrant after I-5 Stop in North Valley

The Oregon State Police arrested a female felon from Central Oregon last night following a traffic stop on Interstate 5 in the North Valley area. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Honda Accord driven by 36-year-old Danielle Leigh Ferdik of Redmond in the northbound lanes of 1-5 near milepost 63 on Thursday at 10:25 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Ferdik after running the license plate on her vehicle and learning that the registered owner had a warrant for her arrest. She was wanted by an unspecified agency for Felony Parole Violation. Ferdik was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Her car was towed into town and some items in the vehicle were placed into safekeeping at her request.

Posted on 2/7/25 11:44AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man for DUII, Drug Possession & Vehicle Theft after Collision

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for impaired driving, drug possession and vehicle theft yesterday following an incident in the southeast part of the city. The Police Department reports officers responded to an unconscious man inside a Mercedes Benz that had crashed into a parked car in the 200-block of Grandview Lane on Thursday around 1:20 p.m.. The driver's head was down and not moving. Police said they were forced to break a window on the Mercedes in order to unlock the car and contact 38-year-old Travis James Buckel for a potential drug overdose. They said drug paraphernalia was observed in plain sight and it was apparent that Buckel was under in the influence of drugs while he was driving the car, crashed into the parked vehicle and stopped on a curb with the engine still running. According to the report, officers recovered a small amount of fentanyl from the car, which had been reported stolen. No property damage occurred to either vehicle due to low-impact speed. Buckel was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Driving Under the Influence of Controlled Substances and Possession of Fentanyl. He was being held without bail and the stolen Mercedes was recovered.

Posted on 2/7/25 11:42AM by Sam Marsh