Local News

Grants Pass Police Jailed Man for Felony Crimes including Murder & Assault
Grants Pass Police jailed a man last night for six felony-level crimes including murder and assault. The Police Department has so far provided no details about the incident, but Josephine County Jail records show officers lodged 59-year-old Michael Fay Woodruff on Monday at 10:17 p.m.. Woodruff was booked on charges including two counts of 2nd-Degree Murder and one count each of 2nd-Degree Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, 1st-Degree Robbery and 1st-Degree Burglary. Michael Woodruff was being held without bail and we are awaiting more details about the investigation.
Posted on 12/12/23 10:52AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Jailed Man for Domestic Violence on Wife after Family Gathering
Grants Pass Police jailed a man for domestic violence against his wife after a family gathering last weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested 44-year-old Kenneth Charles Sumner for the alleged incident that occurred at a home on SW Leonard Street on Sunday shortly after midnight. Police said Sumner and his wife have a history of domestic violence. During a Saturday night family gathering, an argument started between the couple and it escalated later that night after they returned to their home. An investigation determined that Sumner consumed a large amount of alcoholic beverages, he approached his wife in their bedroom and threatened to kill her. He reportedly got physical with the woman before she locked him out of the bedroom. He also grabbed her in an attempt to take keys to a vehicle, but she was not hurt. Upon arrival, officers placed Kenneth Sumner into custody and transported him to the Josephine County Jail where he was lodged for Domestic Menacing and Domestic Harassment. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 12/12/23 10:51AM by Sam Marsh
 

Deputies Jailed Woman for Violating Parole by Causing Market Disturbance
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman for violating her post-prison supervision by causing a disturbance at a rural market in the North Valley area on Monday. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies arrested 58-year-old Deanna Antoinette Ocampo at 11 a.m. yesterday for the incident at Sam's Market on Monument Drive. Deputies said Ocampo became verbally hostile toward market workers, refused to leave the business when asked to do so and made threats. The manager wanted her trespassed from the store. Upon arrival, deputies placed Ocampo into custody and learned that she was on post-prison supervision for a recent robbery conviction. Her corrections officer was contacted. Deanna Ocampo was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Parole Violation. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.
Posted on 12/12/23 10:49AM by Sam Marsh
 

Deputies Arrested Runaway Juvenile after He Broke into CJ Area Home
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a runaway juvenile yesterday after he broke into a Cave Junction residence, stole a gun, money and other items before he was caught by the homeowner. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies placed the teenage boy into custody at a home in the 5600-block of West Side Road on Monday around 11:30 a.m.. Deputies said they received a call from the homeowner who said the caught the boy squatting at his residence and the boy told him he wanted to turn himself in. The caller said the boy was unarmed as he had taken possession of the pistol the boy had stolen. The boy also took money, marijuana, a pipe, clothing and food. Responding deputies placed the runaway boy into custody and transported him to the Josephine County Juvenile Justice Center where he was lodged for 2nd-Degree Burglary, 1st-Degree Theft and Criminal Trespass. His family was notified.
Posted on 12/12/23 10:48AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Snared Man for Felony Drug Possession after Trespassing Call
Grants Pass Police arrested a man for felony drug possession while investigating a weekend trespassing complaint in the downtown area. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the call from the property owner in the 500-block of NE E Street on Sunday around 10:40 a.m.. Police said the property owner reported two male subjects -- one of them in a wheelchair -- were trespassing in an alley behind the Century 21 real estate office. Responding officers spotted 54-year-old Michael Lewis Swift injecting narcotics into his arm and the drugs were later identified as methamphetamine. The suspect was found to be in possession of 5.4 grams of the narcotic stimulant, which was seized for destruction. Michael Swift was booked into the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance.
Posted on 12/12/23 10:46AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Nabbed Felon for Consuming Meal at Restaurant Without Money
Grants Pass Police arrested a local felon for dining and drinking at a downtown restaurant with the intent of not paying for the meal. The Police Department reports officers responded to a theft complaint at the G Street Bar & Grill on Saturday night. Police said 44-year-old Danial Bryan Cook ordered $60 worth of food and alcohol from the restaurant and consumed the meal without having any money. He did not try to dine and dash, and he was placed into custody at the scene. Danial Cook is a Josephine Community Corrections client, so his parole officer was contacted. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 3rd-Degree Theft and the resulting Parole Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.
Posted on 12/12/23 10:44AM by Sam Marsh
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OSP Assisted Douglas County SO with Locating Driver in Interstate 5 Chase
The Grants Pass Office of the Oregon State Police assisted the Douglas County Sheriff's Office last weekend with locating a driver involved in an Interstate 5 pursuit that started near Glendale. OSP reports troopers responded to the incident in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 5 in the Wolf Creek area on Sunday at about 10:30 p.m.. Troopers said the vehicle -- a Jeep Grand Cherokee -- was left abandoned on the freeway after it went south in the northbound lanes while attempting to elude law enforcement. It was unclear in the report if the suspect was arrested. According to OSP, drug paraphernalia that was left in plain sight was seized and submitted for destruction. The suspect vehicle was moved off the freeway and towed to Grants Pass as a hazard.
Posted on 12/12/23 10:42AM by Sam Marsh
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Motorist Escaped Injury but Not Citation after I-5 Crash near Sunny Valley
A motorist escaped injury but not a citation after he crashed his vehicle on Interstate 5 in northern Josephine County near Sunny Valley early yesterday. According to the Oregon State Police, troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle rollover accident in the northbound lanes of I-5 at milepost 73.5 on Monday at 10:18 a.m.. Troopers said 28-year-old Caleb Wood Okelberry was driving a Honda Civic too fast for the conditions and lost control while negotiating a curve. The car left the freeway, struck a ditch and rolled. The driver declined medical attention and his vehicle was towed to his residence at his request. Following an investigation, Okelberry was cited for Violating the Basic Rule.
Posted on 12/12/23 10:41AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Cited Several Campers and Evicted Some during Park Patrols
Grants Pass Police cited several people for ordinance violations and evicted some of them during patrols of city parks early yesterday. During a patrol check at Westholm Park, officers contacted four men who were reported to be doing drugs in the public restroom. Mark Morales, Justice Cory, Jose Hermosillo, III, and Jose Hermosillo, IV, denied doing drugs and were asked to leave the restroom. Johnny Thavisack was warned for Nuisance Dog. Timothy Wood was cited for Illegal Camping and was trespassed from the park for 30 days. During a patrol check at Riverside Park, Jacob Farias was cited for Scattering Rubbish and Improper Utilization of Park Space. He was issued a park exclusion. During a patrol check at Tussing Park, campers identified as Lawrence, Cecil, Baysinger and Thompson were cited for Illegal Camping after failing to remove their tents upon receiving 72-hour notices. All four were trespassed for 30 days. Donnie Snow was warned for Buffer Zone Violation. During a patrol check at Fruitdale Park, a camper identified as Rich was cited for Marijuana Use, Drug Possession in a Park and Scattering Rubbish. A camper named Galloway was warned for Buffer Zone Violation. During a patrol check at Morrison Centennial Park, John Francis was cited for Illegal Camping after failing to remove his tent and issued a park exclusion. A camper identified as Cook was cited for Illegal Camping and Buffer Zone Violation and he was trespassed. A camper named Smith was cited for Illegal Camping after failing to remove her tent.
Posted on 12/12/23 10:39AM by Sam Marsh
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Two GP Teens Jailed for December 3rd Murders of Men at Medford Apartments
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Two Grants Pass teenagers are in custody for the murders of two men at a Medford apartment complex earlier this month. The Medford Police Department reported Monday that two 17-year-old boys from Grants Pass were arrested last weekend and lodged at the Jackson County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of 2nd-Degree Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder. Because they are juveniles, MPD said the names of the arrestees won't be released. Detectives said during the December 3rd incident at the Charles Point apartment complex on Highgate Street, it is believed that a confrontation broke out over a past disagreement. During the confrontation, shots were fired by multiple parties. Responding officers located two individuals with gunshot wounds and both were transported to a local hospital where they succumbed to their injuries. As released by MPD last week, the homicide victims were identified as 26-year-old Christian Torres of White City and 33-year-old Dontrell Manninen of Medford. The case will be prosecuted by the Jackson County District Attorney's Office and no further information will be released on the case at this time.
Posted on 12/12/23 6:29AM by Sam Marsh
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Tragic Mishap on Interstate 5 near Wolf Creek Claimed Life of Medford Woman
A tragic accident on Interstate 5 in northern Josephine County claimed the life of a Medford woman late last week. The Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to a pedestrian struck by a commercial vehicle in the southbound lanes of I-5 at milepost 75 near Wolf Creek on Friday shortly before 6 p.m.. OSP said a preliminary investigation indicated the victim -- 62-year-old Tami Lee of Medford -- was operating a Kia sedan when she struck an animal and exited her vehicle to check on the animal. That's when she was struck by a Freightliner semi-truck operated by a 65-year-old Elmira man. Lee was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the semi remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation. The freeway was closed for about one hour. OSP was assisted at the fatal crash scene by the Wolf Creek Rural Fire Protection District, Rural Metro Fire Department and Oregon Department of Transportation.
Posted on 12/12/23 6:27AM by Sam Marsh
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Deputies Investigating Unrelated Crashes into Trees West of GP Sunday Night
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was investigating two unrelated crashes when vehicles struck trees west of Grants Pass last weekend -- just 20 minutes apart. On Sunday at 7:02 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to an accident in which a pickup struck a tree just off Azalea Drive near Ewe Creek Road. Rural Metro officials said units arrived on scene to find the occupants had fled from the crash, so injuries were unknown. The damaged pickup was towed to Grants Pass. On Sunday at 7:22 p.m., Rural Metro, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and AMR rushed to the scene of a pickup into a tree on Plumtree Lane near the railroad tracks. Rural Metro said arriving units found the driver significantly injured. Crews used specialized rescue tools to remove the doors and push the dash away to free the driver, who was transported by ambulance to a Medford area trauma hospital. The damaged truck was towed to Grants Pass. In both cases, sheriff's deputies responded to investigate the causes of the crashes.
Posted on 12/12/23 6:19AM by Sam Marsh
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