Local News

During this busy winter holiday season, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming with the Grants Pass Police Department to urge drivers to think twice before drinking and driving. Drivers will see officers working on a special high-visibility enforcement campaign to spread the message about the dangers of drunk driving through January 2nd. Tragically, December can be a dangerous time for people on the roads. During the 2017-2021 December months, there were more than 4,500 people killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. In December 2021 alone, 1,013 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Male drivers are far more likely to be impacted by drunk driving: In December 2021, drunk male drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a much higher rate (721) compared to female drivers (208), male drivers were almost four times more likely (721) to be alcohol-impaired and involved in a fatal traffic crash than females (208) in December 2021. More parties and festivities celebrating the season bring out more drunk drivers. December can be a dangerous time for people on the roads. More parties and festivities celebrating the season bring out more drunk drivers. There are many options to help impaired drivers get home safely, such as designating a sober driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. If you see a drunk driver on the road, do not hesitate to call 911. Remember: a few dollars spent on a ride is much cheaper than a DUI, which can cost up to $10,000. NHTSA, the Grants Pass Police Department and all local law enforcement agencies want all drivers to remember this lifesaving message: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!

 

The National Weather Service has posted a Flood Watch for nearly all of southwest Oregon and northwest California from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. The Flood Watch area includes Coos, Curry, Douglas, Josephine and Jackson counties in Oregon as well as Siskiyou County in California. A series of wet frontal systems will produce periods of moderate to heavy rain through this weekend. Significant rises on local rivers, creeks and streams are expected -- especially Saturday night into early next week. Forecast precipitation totals from tonight through Sunday could reach one to three inches over the west side valleys, with three to six inches possible along the coast and in the mountains. Up to eight inches of rain could fall in the Curry coastal ranges. Excessive runoff may result in flood of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may also occur in urban areas with poor drainage. Storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris. Area creeks and streams are already running high and could flood with more heavy rains. Southwest Oregon and northwest California residents should monitor weather forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a female felon yesterday after she caused a disturbance at a south-city bank and then resisted being placed into custody. The Police Department reports officers arrested 30-year-old Carly Brooke Jensen for the incident at Key Bank on Williams Highway on Thursday at 11:37 a.m.. Police said a bank employee called 9-1-1 to report a female subject screaming at people in the parking lot. They contacted Jensen and she displayed numerous signs of impairment from a narcotic stimulant and alcohol. Jensen tried to walk away from officers and when they tried to arrest her, she resisted by refusing to place her hands behind her back. Once she was secured in handcuffs, she refused to walk to the patrol vehicle and pulled away. She was controlled and placed in the vehicle for the ride to the Josephine County Jail. Jensen was booked into jail for Resisting Arrest and the resulting Felony Parole Violation stemming from a 2022 conviction for an unspecified crime. At the request of her corrections officer, she was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Jensen has been arrested for violating her post-prison supervision seven times since January of this year.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended two men wanted on local felony warrants in downtown Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports the first incident occurred on Thursday at 10:49 a.m. when deputies arrested 46-year-old Joseph David Ainsworth in the 100-block of West Lister Street. Ainsworth was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for 1st-Degree Arson. His bail was set at $250,000. The second incident happened just 15 minutes later when deputies arrested 31-year-old Kale Phillip Luke in the 25,600-block of Redwood Highway. Luke was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief. His bail was set at $35,000. Ainsworth and Luke shared a ride in a patrol vehicle to Grants Pass and they were booked into jail on their respective outstanding warrants.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a convicted sex offender yesterday for continuing to be out of compliance with his registration requirements. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 45-year-old James Edward Weinshrott at the former Dutch Bros headquarters on SW 4th Street on Thursday at 11 a.m.. Police said they were patrolling the downtown area when they spotted Weinshrott at the building which is clearly marked with "No Trespassing" signs. He identified himself and was found to be out of compliance with his reporting requirements, with his last report to GPPD being October 3, 2023. A warrant had been issued for Weinshrott's arrest for failing to obey the law. Weinshrott was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Failure to Report as a Sex Offender. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a transient yesterday for stealing a shopping cart from a local retailer and setting up a makeshift campsite along the Parkway. The Police Department reports officers were performing a patrol check when they contacted 36-year-old Jonathan Michael Bull near the intersection of the Grants Pass Parkway and NE Beacon Drive on Thursday at 10:50 a.m.. Police said Bull had set up a tent on the sidewalk and the site was covered with rubbish and offensive material. They said he was also found to be in possession of a shopping cart for which he had been warned multiple times. According to the report, Bull had been trespassed from the railroad property near Agness Avenue on September 20th and from railroad property near NE Spalding Avenue on October 25th. Bull was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft and Offensive Littering. The shopping cart was returned to Walmart.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist on an outstanding warrant and for drug possession last night following a traffic stop near the Parkway. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup driven by 46-year-old Andrew Lawrence Smith near the corner of NE F Street and Fire Mountain Way on Thursday around 9:45 p.m.. Police said they stopped Smith for failing to signal a turn onto F Street and discovered that he was wanted on a Medford warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Attempted Delivery of Methamphetamine. He also had a suspended driver's license and was immediately detained. As Smith exited the truck, a small baggie with a white crystal substance fell from the side of the driver's seat to the ground. It field-tested positive as meth. A search of the vehicle located additional meth in the center console. Smith was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the MPD warrant plus a new charge of Methamphetamine Possession. He was also cited for Driving While Suspended and his pickup was impounded.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass motorist for impaired driving early today following a traffic stop on the southeast side of the city. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a silver Subaru Legacy driven by a 36-year-old woman near the corner of Cloverlawn Drive and Fruitdale Drive at 12:55 this morning. Troopers said they stopped the Subaru for traffic violations and the driver showed indicators of impairment by alcohol. After performing poorly in field sobriety tests, she was taken to the Josephine County Jail where she provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. The woman was also wanted on a bench warrant for failing to appear in court. The suspect was lodged in jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving and the warrant. Her vehicle was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for threatening a woman with a knife on Christmas Eve morning. The Police Department reports officers arrested 54-year-old Michael Eric Maxwell for the incident at a home in the 2100-block of NW North Hill Drive on Tuesday. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that Maxwell approached her in an aggressive manner, began yelling, presented a knife above his shoulder, walked back into his residence and then left on foot. A friend of the victim corroborated her story. Officers located Maxwell a short time later and detained him near the corner of NW Hawthorne Avenue and Vine Street. He did not have a knife on him and initially would not speak to them. He later denied consent to search his residence for the knife and denied that the incident had occurred. After consulting with the District Attorney's Office, officers placed Maxwell into custody and lodged him at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing. He was being held without bail.