Local News

Firefighters continued to mop up the Board Shanty Fire overnight, making steady progress bolstering lines and extinguishing hot spots. A local Oregon Department of Forestry Type 3 team took over command of the wildfire south of Grants Pass today. The team reported this morning that the fire was holding at 469 acres and containment had increased to 30%. Resources are holding the fire within its perimeter lines and have not seen any growth or threat to the lines. Crews have mopped up 200 feet from the line into the interior of the fire, with a goal today of furthering these efforts an additional 50 feet on all sides of the incident. There are 204 personnel assigned to the Board Shanty Fire today including eight 20-person hand crews, two engines, five water tenders, a set of tree fallers and various overhead positions. Aircraft are available if needed and a reconnaissance flight is planned for 2 p.m. to survey the fire. Level 1 "Be Ready" evacuation notices remain in effect for Josephine County Zones 436, 437 and 448-A. Emergency management has lifted all other notices. ODF officials encouraged citizens to help prevent human-caused fires from sparking by following all fire season regulations that are in place. For more information, please visit "swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions."

 

A Medford man was seriously injured yesterday when the truck he was driving overturned on Williams Highway near Murphy. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle rollover crash near milepost 10 of Highway 238 on Tuesday around 2:15 p.m.. Troopers identified the driver of the Freightliner semi-truck and trailer as 53-year-old John Matthew Berry of Medford. They said multiple witnesses reported the vehicle swerved and began fish-tailing for seemingly no reason. The driver said he believed the vehicle had a mechanical issue. According to OSP, Berry was transported by ambulance to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center with serious but "survivable" injuries. No one else was hurt. Caveman Towing was able to upright the semi and haul it to Grants Pass. The exact cause of the crash was under investigation.

 

Firefighters from multiple agencies as well as an ambulance from American Medical Response were dispatched to a mobile home fire in the North Valley area late yesterday. On Tuesday at 4:42 p.m., crews from Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue, the Oregon Department of Forestry and AMR responded to the reported structure fire in the 4200-block of Highland Avenue. Firefighters had limited access, but they were able to stretch hose through a fence and around excessive yard debris to attack the single-wide mobile home that was about 50% involved with flames. Two human occupants escaped safely, but about 20 cats were unaccounted for. Seven cats were pulled from the burning residence and at least one did not survive. During the incident, one firefighter fell through the floor and was pulled to safety by members of his crew. He was treated for heat exposure and released. One spot fire ignited away from the structure, but it was quickly extinguished by ODF. Rural Metro is being assisted with the investigation by the Oregon State Fire Marshal.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a nationwide fugitive early yesterday following an incident at the local Greyhound bus stop. The Police Department reports officers arrested 27-year-old Jose Santana-Robles at the A-1 Market & Deli on NE 7th Street on Tuesday shortly after 7 a.m.. Police said the Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received a report that an aggressive and hostile male subject had threatened the bus driver before he was forcefully removed from the transit vehicle. There were no injuries reported. Upon arrival, officers contacted Santana-Robles and discovered that he was wanted on a US Marshals Service warrant for Probation Violation related to a past arrest for Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. He was immediately placed into custody. Santana-Robles 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 for drug and probation violations while investigating a report of suspicious activity in the downtown area last night. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident at United Community Action Network (UCAN) in the 900-block of SE 8th Street at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. Callers reported a suspicious man looking into the building. Police said they contacted 32-year-old Dakota Alan Ree in the UCAN parking lot and he did not notice officers were there even when they illuminated him with a flashlight. They said he appeared intoxicated and had difficulty speaking while sitting next to a "tooter" on the steps of the building. The "tooter" subsequently tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine. Ree was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession and the resulting Probation Violation related to past arrests for Theft and Criminal Trespass. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for drug and traffic violations early yesterday following a traffic stop in the south part of the city. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a Toyota driven by 39-year-old Alycia Sue Watts near the intersection of Rogue River and Redwood highways on Tuesday around 12:35 a.m.. Police said they stopped Watts after she was observed driving her car on a public roadway with fictitious registration tags. During contact, officers spotted a glass pipe under her dog which was in the passenger seat. The pipe contained residue that tested positive as methamphetamine. During a consent search of the car, approximately seven grams of meth was found along with a scale and baggies. All the items were seized as evidence. Watts was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession and she was cited for Altered Plates, No Insurance and Failure to Register Vehicle. Her car was impounded and a charge of Meth Delivery was referred to the District Attorney's Office for consideration. Her dog was turned over to a friend.

 

The Oregon State Police cited a truck driver for causing a motor vehicle accident on Interstate 5 near the City of Rogue River early yesterday. According to OSP, troopers and emergency crews responded to the incident in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 48 on Tuesday shortly before 9 a.m.. Troopers said a preliminary investigation indicated that a 54-year-old Vancouver, Washington, man was driving a Kenworth pulling a trailer filled with scrap metal when several pieces of metal fell out of the trailer and struck a Chevrolet Malibu driven by a 43-year-old Eagle Point man. No injuries were reported. Damage to the Malibu was well over $2,500 and it was towed from the scene by the driver. Following the investigation, the truck driver was cited for Operating with a Loose Load.

 

The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) raided an illegal cannabis growing operation near Cave Junction last week. Last Thursday, JMET -- with assistance from the FBI, DEA, US Marshals Service, US Postal Inspection Service and Rogue Area Drug Enforcement -- served a search warrant in the 3,000-block of Rockydale Road. During execution of the warrant, more than 3,600 marijuana plants were seized and destroyed. Detectives said multiple electrical, water and solid waste code violations were discovered that may result in civil forfeiture of the property. The primary suspects were not on scene during the time of the search. If located, they will face felony charges of Unlawful Manufacture and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana. According to JMET, the investigation is ongoing and no further details are being released at this time.

 

An Eagle Point Police Department drone was used to help apprehend an active shooting suspect on Interstate 5 near Ashland last weekend. Early Saturday morning, the Ashland Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff's Office responded to an I-5 incident involving a male subject shooting a firearm at passing motorists and officers. A request for a drone operator was made to assist in locating the suspect after he fled on foot. The Eagle Point Police Department recently obtained a drone and training through a grant offered by City-County Insurance. EPD Senior Officer Marc Slagle is the department pilot for the new program and he was on duty at the time of the request. Slagle responded, deployed the drone and located the suspect who held his hands up and surrendered once he noticed the drone was overhead. Law enforcement on scene utilized an armored vehicle for protection and were able to take the suspect into custody without further incident. The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Devanta Bell Mader of Ashland. He was lodged at the Jackson County Jail on several felony charges including Attempted Murder, 1st-Degree Attempted Assault with a Firearm and four counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon. The case is being handled by the Oregon State Police.