Local News

With no action items on the agenda this morning, the Josephine County Board of Commissioners listened to public comments during the 19-minute meeting. During Requests and Comments from Citizens, Board Chair John West and veteran Commissioner Dan DeYoung heard few disparaging words from those who spoke. Board Vice-Chair Herman Baertschiger was absent. Most people were interested in praising the outstanding work of the Grants Pass Active Club in putting another great Boatnik Weekend. Others spoke about the great community support for the annual festival, and promoted upcoming events such as Airport Days on Father's Day Weekend, Independence Day, Back to the 50s, summer car shows and the Josephine County Fair. Commissioner DeYoung remarked that everyone should attempt to support these community events. Without public support, he said they will eventually go away. In Matters from Commissioners, DeYoung expressed concern about the current state of the American judicial system. He said while most judges are excellent, one bad judge on the bench can lead to questionable outcomes in important cases.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man last night for attacking his stepfather at a home in the south part of the city. The Police Department reports officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 400-block of West Harbeck Road on Tuesday around 6:40 p.m.. Police said a man called 9-1-1 to report that his 22-year-old stepson shoved him multiple times with force and struck him with closed fists, causing substantial pain. They said the caller did not require medical attention, but he wanted to press charges. Upon arrival, officers interviewed both parties and the stepson admitted to making physical contact with his stepfather. The cause of the family altercation was not disclosed, but a woman at the home stated she would testify against the suspect in court, if necessary. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault and Physical Harassment. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a man last night for causing a hazard for drivers on Interstate 5 near the Hugo exit. OSP reports troopers responded to the incident in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 65 on Tuesday at 7:28 p.m.. Troopers said they encountered a 67-year-old man who was throwing pieces of wood onto the freeway, creating a hazard and endangering passing motorists. After contacting the subject and speaking with a witness, the subject was placed into custody and found to be in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine. According to OSP, there were no injuries and no damage to any vehicles reported. The suspect was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct, Reckless Endangering and Possession of Meth. He was being held without bail. His vehicle -- a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup -- was towed.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man last night for violating a court order protecting a woman who lives in the southwest part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 700-block of SW I Street on Tuesday shortly after 10 p.m.. Police said the 68-year-old male subject was called in for standing outside the woman's residence and refusing to leave. The victim had a valid restraining order against the man, but that did not seem to matter to the suspect. Officers arrived on scene and located the man across the street from the protected residence. He was placed into custody after the court order was confirmed. Upon further investigation, the victim provided a photo of the man on her property. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a woman wanted on a local felony warrant while investigating an attempted burglary at a vacant commercial building last night. The Police Department reports officers responded to a possible break-in to a building in the 1300-block of SW Foundry Street on Tuesday at about 7:20 p.m.. Police said a caller reported two male transients on bicycles tampering with a door to the building. The men apparently did not gain entry and rode away on their bikes to a nearby transient camp at the end of SW Eastern Avenue. Officers responded and tracked down the suspects at the illegal camp on railroad property. They contacted a total of seven people including a 35-year-old woman who was found to be wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Felon in Possession of a Weapon. The woman was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail where she was being held on $25,000 bail. All seven campers were trespassed from the railroad property.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested two men camping on Bureau of Land Management property in the Grants Pass area in separate incidents yesterday. According to the Sheriff's Office, the first incident occurred on Tuesday at 12:22 p.m. when a deputy contacted a 49-year-old male subject at a transient camp off BLM Road 35-7-1. Deputies detained the man after discovering that he had made a big mess of the publicly-owned property. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for three counts of 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, two counts of 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass and one count of Offensive Littering. He was being held without bail. The second incident happened on Tuesday at 7:17 p.m. when deputies detained a man living off a BLM Road in the 4500-block of Granite Hill Road. Deputies said the male subject was found to be in possession of a firearm and he was known to carry concealed weapons. The gun was seized and the man was issued federal citations for crimes including Felon in Possession of a Weapon as well as No License, Insurance or Registration for his vehicle. He was not jailed.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted a camper from a city park while investigating a citizen complaint about ordinance violations early yesterday. According the Police Department, officers responded to the call for violations at Lawnridge Park on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Tuesday at 9:19 a.m.. Police said a park neighbor reported multiple tents within the buffer zone around the restroom and a male subject with an air mattress set up near the playground. Officers checked the park and did not find the alleged violations. However, they cited a woman for narcotics possession after drug paraphernalia was seen inside her tent. She was trespassed from the park for 30 days. The Parks Department was contacted and advised about a pile of trash to be disposed of.

 

A Murphy area man was jailed this week for a racially-motivated crime involving weapons. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a disturbance in the 100-block of Stanford Way on Monday night. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that a male subject came to her home brandishing a firearm and threatened her husband, telling him that he wanted to use his shotgun on him. The caller described the firearm as a handgun. She said she did not know the man and he walked away toward Williams Highway with his dog. Responding deputies located the man and found him with multiple firearms. The man stated that he is a neighbor to the female caller even though she claimed not to know him. Statements were taken from all parties and he was placed into custody. The 53-year-old suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on charges of 1st-Degree Bias Crime, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, two counts of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Menacing and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail. The guns were seized as evidence.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorcyclist for endangering his young daughter while riding recklessly just north of Grants Pass on Memorial Day. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a road rage incident in the 700-block of Granite Hill Road on Monday afternoon. Deputies said an off-duty police officer called 9-1-1 to report a motorcycle rider was trying to hit another vehicle and caused the other vehicle to crash. There were no injuries reported. The motorcyclist had his 4-year-old daughter in his lap. The 37-year-old suspect was riding a 2022 Harley Davidson and he was finally pulled over next to the Josephine County Courthouse on NW C Street. He was placed into custody and lodged in jail for Reckless Endangering and Reckless Driving. His motorcycle was picked up by a friend. The suspect's young daughter was picked up by her grandmother. She was not hurt, but deputies notified the girl's mother as well as the Oregon Department of Human Services.