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Multi-Agency Investigation into GP Apartment Shooting Lands Four Men in Jail

An exhaustive multi-agency investigation into a December 17th shooting incident at a southeast Grants Pass apartment complex has resulted in the arrest of four men on multiple felony-level charges. The Grants Pass Police Department responded that evening to several calls of shots being fired at the apartments located in the 1400-block of Rogue River Highway. Police officers from GPPD, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office and OSP arrived on scene and determined the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle. Law enforcement quickly determined that multiple shots were fired at the apartments, but no one was struck by any bullets. The initial investigation concluded that six people in two apartments could have been struck by gunfire if the trajectories had been different. Due to the violent behavior demonstrated in the incident, the case became priority one of the GPPD Criminal Investigation Division. Over the past weeks, detectives have been working tirelessly to identify those responsible for the shooting. There were several hundred hours of manpower used to conduct interviews, collect evidence and search for the suspects. As a result of the investigation, 32-year-old William Michael, 20-year-old Joshua Treetop, 18-year-old Easton Foley and 18-year-old Austin Shaw-Rideout were arrested and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. The suspects have been charged with six counts each of Felony Attempted Murder and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

Posted on 1/6/25 6:16AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man for Frightening Barista at Human Bean Coffee Stand

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for multiple crimes after he harassed a coffee stand employee in the downtown area over the weekend. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at the Human Bean stand in the 700-block of SE 7th Street late Saturday morning. Police said a man later identified as 30-year-old Brandon Keaun Fergusson was making the female barista feel uncomfortable with intimidating statements. She was attempting to make him a coffee so he would go away when he climbed into the stand through the window. Fergusson was told to get out of the stand and he did so, but the victim was in fear of imminent injury before he left the coffee stand. Officers used video surveillance to identify the suspect, a search of the area was conducted, the suspect was located a short time later and placed into custody. Fergusson was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Burglary, Menacing and Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 1/6/25 6:14AM by Sam Marsh

Person Suffered Burn Injuries after Food Truck Explosion at Merlin Taphouse

One person was hospitalized with serious burn injuries late last week when a small explosion occurred inside a food truck near Merlin. Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the incident in the 3500-block of Merlin Road on Friday at 11:12 a.m.. Rural Metro crews contained an isolated fire inside the food truck that resulted from the explosion. No other food trucks or the adjacent taphouse were damaged. One person was transported to a local hospital with serious burns while another person sustained minor burns and was treated at the scene. Rural Metro was assisted by the Oregon State Fire Marshal to determine the cause of the explosion, which appeared to be associated with propane. With the growing trend of food trucks across the Rogue Valley, fire officials urge proprietors to conduct frequent checks on propane-powered equipment.

Posted on 1/6/25 6:12AM by Sam Marsh

No One Hurt Sunday Morning When Vehicle Crashed into South GP Building

Occupants inside a building in south Grants Pass were abruptly surprised but not injured when a vehicle crashed into their wall and roll-up door early yesterday. Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response and the Grants Pass Police Department were dispatched to the single-vehicle accident near the intersection of Williams Highway and New Hope Road on Sunday at 7:04 a.m.. Rural Metro officials said the occupants were not injured and the operator of the vehicle was located about a half-mile down the road on foot. He denied injury as well. The driver was not identified in the Rural Metro incident report. Officials said the building did not appear to have received any significant loss of structural integrity. The vehicle was pulled out of the building by Oregon Towing. The Oregon Department of Transportation also responded for traffic control. The crash occurred at the same time multiple other emergency units were called to a downtown fire on H Street, which highlights the value of the automatic mutual aid agreements frequently utilized by local first responders.

Posted on 1/6/25 6:11AM by Sam Marsh

Authorities Search for Occupants of Overturned Vehicle near Cave Junction

Authorities were looking for the occupants of a vehicle that crashed over the weekend near Cave Junction. On Saturday at 8:17 a.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response rushed to the scene of a single-vehicle wreck near milepost 2 of Happy Camp Road. Upon arrival, an IVFD unit found a vehicle that had rolled over and landed upside-down just off the roadway. No occupants were present and a thorough search of the area found no one. IVFD officials said the vehicle was flagged for towing and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office was notified about the incident. An investigation was underway.

Posted on 1/6/25 6:09AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police and Firefighters Ended 2024 with Strong Community Protection

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters finished off 2024 with another strong community protection effort. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 500 calls for service along with 267 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 33 arrests, 34 citations, 85 warnings and five highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 119 traffic stops in the city and they made 14 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). There was no report available last week for the Community Response Team. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 98 calls last week including 41 for emergency medical service, six reports of fire or smoke, 23 lifts assists, nine rescue situations, 26 assists to other agencies and eight false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,051 emergency calls last week. i

Posted on 1/6/25 6:08AM by Sam Marsh

Barnett and Smith to be Sworn in Today as Commissioners before General Discussion

Chris Barnett and Ron Smith will be sworn in today as the newest members of the Josephine County Board of Commissioners before conducting a general discussion at the Courthouse this afternoon. The first order of business will be an order in the matter of appointing the Chair and Vice-Chair for the Board in 2025. Once the recall election against John West is certified, he will longer be in office. Barnett and Smith will appoint a successor. The Commissioners will consider two other orders for assigning authority over financial accounts and designating the tax collector for Josephine County. Policy discussions will include four 10-hour work days and employees taking their work vehicles home. The most controversial topic will be consideration of charging market rent for the building currently being used by the Grants Pass branch of Josephine Community Library. A long-standing agreement has the library district paying $1 annually for use of the building, but West in December proposed charging rent instead.

Posted on 1/6/25 5:59AM by Sam Marsh

GP City Council Set to Swear in New Mayor and Four New Members at Workshop

The Grants Pass City Council will swear in a new mayor and four new council members during its workshop session today. The public policy-making panel will look a lot different this year after former Mayor Sara Bristol and three former councilors were defeated in the November General Election. Being sworn in today are Mayor Clint Scherf and Councilors Indra Nicholas, Victoria Marshall, Erich Schloegl and Kathleen Krohn. Nicholas will serve alongside Rob Pell in Ward 1, Marshall will serve with Rick Riker in Ward 2, Schloegl will serve with Dwayne Yunker in Ward 3, and Krohn will serve with Joel King in Ward 4. Councilor Yunker will soon step down from his seat to serve as House District 3 State Representative. The Oregon Legislature begins its long session in February. There is no other business on the agenda for the workshop, which starts at 11:45 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.

Posted on 1/6/25 5:56AM by Sam Marsh

BLM District Call for 2025 Artist-in-Residence Program at Cascade-Siskiyou Monument

The Bureau of Land Management is inviting artists to apply for the annual Artist-in-Residence program at the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The selected artist receives a one- to two-week residency at the national monument in the month of June. The artist will create work while immersed in a beautiful environment and share their art with the public. Applications are welcomed from all artists, regardless of style or medium. Now in its ninth year, the Artist-in-Residence program has allowed numerous artists to transform the monument's natural and cultural resources into visual art, objects and performances. During their residency, the artist will share their experience and artistic vision in a public presentation. One artist and one alternate will be selected based on the following criteria: entry materials, residency proposal, professionalism and creative vision.

Posted on 1/6/25 5:54AM by Sam Marsh

Emergency Responders Rushed to Scene of Selma Area House Fire Early Today

Emergency first responders rushed to the scene of a structure fire that broke out this morning in the Selma area. At 7:58 a.m. today, the Illinois Valley Fire District, Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the structure fire in the 300-block of Clear Creek Road. IVFD Chief John Holmes said arriving units observed flames emanating from the home's patio and roofline. He said the fire was subsequently extinguished and the scene was secured. There were no injuries reported. Holmes said the cause of the fire is under investigation and the American Red Cross was notified to assist the occupants of the heavily-damaged residence.

Posted on 1/3/25 11:34AM by Sam Marsh

GPPD Assisted MPD with Apprehension of Felon Wanted for Weapon Crimes

Grants Pass Police assisted the Medford Police Department yesterday by locating and apprehending a man wanted for weapons crimes committed in that city. The Police Department reports officers placed Trevor Allred into custody in the 1100-block of SW G Street on Thursday at 12:12 p.m.. MPD had requested GPPD attempt to locate Allred due to probable cause of three counts of Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He had been observed driving a Honda sedan in that area. Police said Allred was found to be in possession of a loaded 9-millimeter Shield Arms magazine in a holster on his left hip and another firearm was retrieved from his female passenger's purse. The guns were seized as evidence. Following an interview, Allred was transported by GPPD to Valley of the Rogue Park and transferred to the custody of MPD. He was then driven to Medford and lodged at the Jackson County Jail.

Posted on 1/3/25 11:25AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Felon for Two Crimes after Alarm at Rogue Truss Systems

Grants Pass Police arrested a felon for two crimes after he was caught prowling inside a fenced area of Rogue Truss Systems late last night. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 46-year-old Jon Michael Wigelsworth on the property in the 1700-block of Dowell Road on Thursday at 11:50 p.m.. The suspect had entered the property and set off an alarm. Police said Wigelsworth accessed Rogue Truss Systems via an unfenced portion of the property, helped himself to hand tools valued at more than $100 and filled his pockets with the stolen items. After being detained by officers, Wigelsworth was found to be in possession of brass knuckles. He is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing any weapons. Wigelsworth was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon and 2nd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 1/3/25 11:24AM by Sam Marsh

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