Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for punching an employee while she was being admitted to Three Rivers Medical Center last weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a reported assault at the hospital on SW Ramsey Avenue late Friday afternoon. Police said 50-year-old Rita Maples punched a TRMC security guard in the side of the head, causing a visible injury on the victim. No reason was given for the punch and the suspect was locked up in the emergency room until officers arrived.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on a statewide felony warrant after he caused a disturbance at a north-city motel late last week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 42-year-old Jesse Curtis Heapes at the Grants Pass Travelodge on NW Vine Street around midday Friday. Police said Heapes was called in as a disorderly subject in the motel lobby who was upset about his room assignment. They said the female worker was frightened by the suspect and she was hiding in the back room when she called 9-1-1.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing merchandise from Home Depot last weekend and he may be facing more charges after he was found with items stolen from several other stores. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to a shoplifting call involving 30-year-old Kody Tyler Halverson at the store on NE Mill Street at 4:40 p.m. on Saturday. Police said Halverson was detained by Home Depot loss prevention after he passed all points of sale with nearly $100 worth of unpaid-for merchandise. During a consent search, they said he was found to be in possession of multiple items stolen from Walmart, Fred Meyer, Big Lots, Harbor Freight and TJ Maxx.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two people for working together to steal hundreds of dollars' worth of merchandise from Walmart late last week. The Police Department reports officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Friday afternoon. Police said 38-year-old Pierre Razo and 41-year-old Molly Huerta conspired to commit theft at Walmart. They said the pair were preparing two shopping carts for pushout and managed to conceal more than $270 worth of stolen items on them before they were detained by loss prevention.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a female trespasser with an affinity for a downtown convenience store. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a trespassing call involving 43-year-old Diana Marie Reynolds at 7-Eleven on SW 6th Street on Saturday around 4:25 a.m.. Police said Reynolds was located at 7-Eleven and she had been previously trespassed from that location several times over the past few month. She was placed into custody and lodged in jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. Reynolds was once again trespassed from 7-Eleven.

 

A weekend welfare check in the parking lot of a Grants Pass supermarket resulted in the arrest of a repeat trespasser. Grants Pass Police were called to WinCo Foods on Saturday at about 12:20 a.m. for a male subject passed out behind the wheel of a running minivan. The caller reported that they honked their horn at the man, but he did not respond. Police said they contacted 36-year-old Nathan Jones in the van and observed drug paraphernalia in plain sight. They said Jones woke up when they knocked on the window and he denied any recent use of narcotics. Dispatch advised the man had been trespassed for one year from WinCo in April, so he was placed into custody.

 

A Jackson County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue (SAR) member was named "Volunteer of the Year" during an awards ceremony held earlier this month. Scott Rayburn received the award from the Oregon State Sheriff's Association Search & Rescue Advisory Council for outstanding professional achievement and accomplishment. Since joining Jackson County SAR in January 2017, Rayburn has been on 161 missions, totaling over 2,800 mission hours. After joining SAR, he quickly became a key member of the unit.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters were active during the week leading up to the Christmas holiday weekend. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 651 calls for service along with 252 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 60 arrests, 17 citations, 12 warnings and four highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 70 traffic stops and made 27 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services.

 

Led by park rangers and volunteers, guided First Day Hikes are set for 31 Oregon State Parks on New Year's Day -- Monday, January 1st. Hikes are free and the $5 day-use parking fee is waived that day for all state parks that require a parking permit and are open. America's State Parks sponsors the First Day Hikes program nationwide to encourage everyone to start the year outside and connect with nature. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) has participated since 2012.