Local News

The National Weather Service has upgraded a Flood Watch to a Flood Warning in southwest Oregon and northern California. The Weather Service Station in Medford reports the Flood Warning for Josephine, Jackson, Curry, Coos and Siskiyou counties is in effect through Friday at midnight. Flooding caused by excessive rainfall and snow melt is expected across the region. That includes flooding of local rivers, creeks and streams as well as low-lying and flood-prone locations. According to satellite estimates, between one and six inches of rain has already fallen in the area. Additional rainfall amounts of three to seven inches are possible in the Warning zone. Some higher-elevation areas will receive snowfall that will switch over to rainfall. Rain can melt the snow and cause a higher amount of runoff than rainfall alone. Weather experts warn motorists to turn around and don't drown when encountering flooded roadways. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners approved the creation of a Rural Fire Protection District following a public hearing on the second reading of the order this morning. The Board voted 2-0 to approve the order to form the fire district that will cover residents who live outside the City of Grants Pass or the Illinois Valley, Williams, Wolf Creek and Applegate Valley Fire Districts. Commission Vice-Chair Herman Baertschiger was absent. The Applegate Valley Fire District has plans to expand its coverage area to include properties near Murphy, but the Commissioners moved ahead with forming the district to include all properties within Josephine County. Legal Counsel Wally Hicks testified that there are no definitive answers in state law at this time. People who live within the new district will elect a Board of Directors next May. In other business, the Board continued to clean up the Josephine County Code by approving the first reading of ordinances that amend a chapter regarding parks and repeal a chapter pertaining to water quality in the Grants Pass Urban Growth Area. Assistant County Legal Counsel Leah Harper testified that parks are now part of the Recreation Department and the City of Grants Pass now has jurisdiction over water quality in the UGB. Under Administrative Actions, the Commissioners okayed a $3.7 million contract with Knife River Materials to install new water and sewer lines to the Grants Pass Airport. Public Works Director Rob Brandes said the project is being paid for with American Rescue Plan Act funding. He estimated the 12-week project will get underway in mid-January, calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man who fled from troopers when they tried to pull him over on Redwood Highway near Hayes Hill yesterday. OSP reports troopers attempted to stop a Honda Accord driven by 34-year-old Jonathan Robert Davis near milepost 16 of US Highway 199 on Tuesday around 11:45 a.m.. Troopers said Davis fled south at a high rate of speed and they did not pursue him. Josephine County sheriff's deputies located the suspect vehicle in the Shop Smart parking lot in Cave Junction a short time later and alerted OSP. According to OSP, Davis admitted to fleeing from law enforcement while driving at a high rate of speed and unsafe passing of other vehicles. He was subsequently placed into custody and his car was impounded. Davis was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempt to Elude Police and Reckless Driving. He was being held without bail.

 

A routine patrol check at the Grants Pass Shopping Center late last night led to the apprehension of a man wanted for his role in an ongoing criminal investigation. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers arrested 42-year-old Gabriel Feliciano outside Rite Aid on Tuesday at 11:06 p.m.. Police said they spotted Feliciano and were aware that he was wanted for a recent burglary and vandalism incident. They said he was wearing the same clothing, shoes and backpack that were observed in video surveillance of the incident. He initially identified himself as "Jonathan," but admitted his true identity during questioning. During a consent search of Feliciano's backpack, officers found wire cutters and stolen items that were seized and logged into evidence. Feliciano was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges of 1st-Degree Burglary and 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief as well as misdemeanor charges of 2nd-Degree Theft and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing a small amount of items from Home Depot and lying to officers late yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a shoplifting incident at the store on NE Mill Street on Tuesday at about 5:35 p.m.. Police said 40-year-old Jackson Wendell Delk stole a can of butane and other items by concealing them in his jacket and exiting Home Depot without paying. He was contacted by officers outside the store, became confrontational with them and provided a false name. His true identity was discovered during questioning. Delk told police his legal name is Jackson, but he went by "Jackie" when he lived in Tennessee. He also admitted that the date of birth on his Tennessee driver's license is incorrect, but the date of birth on his Oregon driver's license is correct. Delk was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Theft and Furnishing False Information to Police. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested three men wanted on outstanding warrants in Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports the first incident occurred on Tuesday at 11:12 a.m. when deputies arrested 49-year-old Jack Lee Duke, III, in the 300-block of South Redwood Highway. Duke was wanted on a Coos County Circuit Court warrant for Probation Violation related to Methamphetamine Possession. He was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. The second incident happened on Tuesday at 1:45 p.m. when deputies arrested 36-year-old Jeremiah James Mutina during a traffic stop at the intersection of Caves and Redwood highways. Mutina was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was placed into custody and lodged in jail. The third incident took place on Tuesday at 4:12 p.m. when deputies arrested 47-year-old Ricky Allen Grimmette at Taylor's Sausage in Cave Junction. He was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Criminal Trespass. He was lodged in jail. He was also trespassed from Taylor's. Grimmette was released from jail late last night and promptly arrested by Grants Pass Police for trespassing at WinCo Foods. Once again, he was lodged jail.

 

The Oregon State Police was looking for a motorist who allegedly caused a Cave Junction man to roll his vehicle on Interstate 5 near Wolf Creek early yesterday. OSP reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 78 on Tuesday at 2:08 a.m.. Troopers said a 24-year-old man driving a Ford Econoline stated that he had been brake-checked by an unknown vehicle which caused him to lose control of his minivan and roll several times. The driver said he lost his dog crate in the crash. According to OSP, the driver was not seriously hurt -- but he was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for precautionary measures. The van was heavily damaged and hauled to Grants Pass by 3 Boys Towing. For undisclosed reasons, the minivan driver was either cited or warned for an unspecified violation. There was no information available on the suspect vehicle.

 

UPDATE: INTERSTATE 5 NOW COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN BETWEEN ASHLAND AND REDDING.

All southbound lanes of Interstate 5 south of Ashland are closed to motor vehicles today due to a strong blizzard dumping snow and creating whiteout conditions in the higher elevations. Vehicles are being held near Ashland at milepost 11 until officials determine the freeway is safe for travel. The Oregon Department of Transportation expects this to be a long-term closure, according to the notice on “TripCheck.com.” Weather forecasters have reported the atmospheric river that impacted the Portland metro area has moved southward into southern Oregon and northern California and will pack high winds and plenty of snow at the higher elevations. The Medford office of the National Weather Service said the core of moderate-to-heavy precipitation will persist throughout the day in southwest Oregon and northern California as the front will get hung up along the Oregon/California border this afternoon through at least Thursday morning. Wind gusts in the area have been clocked at 67 mph. Travelers are advised to choose an alternate route. Coastal routes will feature rain, and very strong winds throughout the day. Visit “TripCheck.com” or “Caltrans.gov” for detailed information on road conditions and closures.

 

Three people were sent to the hospital after a collision between three vehicles in the Merlin area late yesterday. Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the multi-vehicle crash on Merlin Road near Holbrook Way on Tuesday at 5:09 p.m.. Rural Metro officials said three occupants of the vehicles were transported to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. One driver needed to be extricated from their vehicle by firefighters. Emergency first responders thanked evening commuters for stopping to give rescue crews a safe work area to process the scene. The Sheriff's Office was investigating the cause of the crash.