Local News

A motorcyclist was injured when he crashed his bike on Riverbanks Road during a heavy weekend downpour. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle wreck near milepost 20 of State Route 260 on Saturday at 11:48 a.m.. Troopers said the 38-year-old male rider of a Honda motorcycle went off the roadway and crashed. They said the rider was transported by ground ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with a leg fracture. The damaged motorcycle was hauled away by Three Boys Towing.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving after he crashed his vehicle above Interstate 5 in north Grants Pass. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck at the corner of NW Scenic Drive and Granite Hill Road on Friday at 9:45 p.m.. Deputies said a female witness reported the male driver of a Kia Soul was unable to stop at the corner and hit a brick wall. The caller said the driver was visibly intoxicated when he told her he was okay but his vehicle was stuck on a barrier. Upon arrival, deputies said the 39-year-old motorist showed signs of impairment. A search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented his impairment. The suspect was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. His badly damaged car was towed to the impound yard.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for causing multiple disturbances in the downtown area late last week. The Police Department reports officers arrested a 39-year-old male subject near the Downtown Welcome Center at the corner of 6th and G streets on Friday morning. Police said the man they identified as "Eric Younger" was called in for walking up and down 6th Street yelling and banging on business windows, causing public alarm. They said he then took out a multi-tool knife and used it to bang on a vehicle window, asking the driver what he would do if he slashed his tires. Younger was detained by officers and admitted that he made the statement. He was later identified as the subject who unlawfully entered Gates Home Furnishings late Thursday night. He was immediately placed into custody. Younger was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a felony charge of Unlawful Use of a Weapon and misdemeanor charges of Menacing and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail. He was also trespassed from Gates.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for threatening a supermarket employee and stabbing vehicles with a knife in the downtown area late last week. According to the Police Department, officers arrested the 41-year-old male subject for reported incidents near the Safeway on SE 7th Street on Friday afternoon. Police said Safeway workers flagged them down and pointed out the subject who was walking away. They said they called out to the man they identified as "Rell Baty" and advised him he was not free to leave, but the man gave officers the middle finger and continued to walk northbound on 7th Street. Baty was eventually detained at the point of a Taser. An investigation revealed that Safeway workers were escorting him outside for being disorderly when he drew a knife and made a stabbing gesture toward at least one employee. The worker was able to accurately describe a knife in the subject's possession. Baty was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing. He was being held without bail. He was also trespassed from Safeway.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry was busy on Saturday putting out lightning-caused fires in Josephine and western Jackson counties. Thunderstorms moved through southwest Oregon, with the majority of them being on the Grants Pass side of the ODF region. The good news was the storm came with a good amount of rain that kept the fires small, allowing crews to catch them. The Clark Creek Fire located east of Golden in Josephine County was stopped at 1/100th of an acre. The Wards Creek Fire located northeast of the City of Rogue River in Jackson County was also stopped at 1/100th of an acre. The Thompson Creek Fire located southeast of Williams in Josephine County was stopped at one-quarter acre. All three fires were confirmed to be started by lightning strikes. ODF firefighters and Detection Center staff will continue to monitor areas where lightning struck. Reconnaissance flights will be flown over the area for the next several days to watch for sleeper fires that could still be smoldering. Anyone who sees additional fires or smoke is encouraged to dial 9-1-1

 

Emergency crews responded to numerous motor vehicle accidents in Southern Oregon on Saturday as thunderstorms dropped heavy rain on area roadways. On Saturday at 1:31 p.m.. Rural Metro Fire Department, the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to a two-vehicle rollover crash on Redwood Highway near Slate Creek Road. Arriving units found a two-vehicle accident with minor injuries to the occupants, but no one was transported to the hospital. The highway was shut down by the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Oregon State Police arrived on scene to conduct an investigation. Wet slippery pavement was considered to be a factor. Earlier in the day, emergency personnel responded to multiple crashes in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 about five miles north of Central Point. Travel delays continued for about 90 minutes until the freeway was fully reopened. For the record, Grants Pass broke a precipitation record on Saturday with .49 of an inch. The old record of .33 of an inch for August 17th was set way back in 1916.

 

The Grants Pass City Council will cover a variety of topics at its bi-weekly workshop session today. The City Council will open the workshop with discussion and a possible decision on the future of the Reed Building at Riverside Park. The Historical Buildings & Sites Commission has recommended renovating the aging structure, which is the oldest building remaining in the park that is designated as a historic landmark. Other topics on the agenda include creation of a police and fire advocacy effort, and camping site service levels. City Manager Aaron Cubic will lead the Council through a 2nd Quarter Work Plan Update before it reviews the agenda for Wednesday night's regular meeting. Today's workshop begins at 11:45 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department has a new lieutenant. GPPD Chief Warren Hensman promoted John Moore to the rank of lieutenant last week. Lieutenant Moore came to GPPD in 2008 as a Reserve Officer after previously serving as a Firefighter/Paramedic and a US Navy Corpsman. He was hired as a full-time Police Officer later that year, promoted to Corporal in 2014 and most recently served as a Sergeant after being promoted to that rank in 2021. Chief Hensman said Lieutenant Moore is an experienced leader. Following his promotion, he is taking on the administrative lieutenant position where he will manage several key functions of the department. Congratulations to GPPD Lieutenant John Moore!

 

A Southern Oregon restaurant was sentenced in federal court last week for stealing more than $759,000 in federal funds intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon, Amigos Mexican Cuisine and Cantina, LLC, formerly located outside Medford, was sentenced to pay $759,100 in restitution to the US Small Business Administration plus a criminal fine of $200,000. In a separate civil proceeding, Amigos was ordered to pay $1.6 million to settle a related False Claims Act allegation. According to court documents, Amigo submitted five fraudulent loan applications to steal more than $759,000 from three COVID-19 pandemic relief programs during a 13-month period beginning in April 2020. The swindled programs were identifies as the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.Prosecutors said Amigos made numerous false statements on these applications including claiming its owner did not own other businesses, providing inaccurate company financials, and falsely attesting that the company was not engaged in any illegal activity.