Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for making another unwelcome visit to his mother's apartment this past weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing call involving 35-year-old Evan Timothy Hall at an apartment complex in the 1,000-block of NE A Street on Saturday shortly before 8 a.m.. Police said they observed Hall leaving the parking lot at the complex where his mother had obtained a restraining order against him. He was detained and found to have a small amount of methamphetamine in his back pocket. Hall was also wanted on a warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass related to a previous violation of the court order. Hall was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation and the warrant. He was also cited to appear in court for the drug violation.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Washington man for violating a court order during a weekend traffic stop on Interstate 5 in the North Valley area. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Chevrolet Silverado driven by 32-year-old Enrique Sandoval-Rodriguez of Renton, Washington, in the southbound lanes of the freeway near milepost 63 on Saturday shortly after 2 p.m.. Troopers said Sandoval-Rodriquez was traveling 91 miles per hour in a 65-mile-per-hour speed zone. Upon contact with the driver, it was discovered that he was the respondent in an active protection order in which his 38-year-old female passenger was identified as the protected party. Enrique Sandoval-Rodriguez was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Restraining Order Violation. His pickup was released to the passenger.

 

One person was injured and both vehicles were towed after a crash on Caves Highway that occurred late last week. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle collision on State Route 46 at Laurel Road on Friday at 9:38 a.m.. Troopers said 29-year-old Abigail McCarthy-Milliman was driving a Chrysler sedan when she attempted to turn left onto the highway from Laurel and crashed head-on into a Toyota Echo driven by 79-year-old Stanley Wayne Halvorsen. According to OSP, McCarthy-Milliman denied medical attention, but Halvorsen was transported by ambulance to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Both vehicles were hauled into Cave Junction by Jerry's Towing. Following an investigation, McCarthy-Milliman was cited for Dangerous Left Turn.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving following a weekend fender-bender in the parking lot of a bar on Williams Highway. The Police Department reports officers responded to a two-vehicle collision at the 238 Bar on Saturday at about 4:30 p.m.. No one was hurt in the minor crash. Police said 61-year-old Robert Martin Bell backed his vehicle into another vehicle in the parking lot, showed multiple indicators of impairment and admitted to the consumption of alcohol. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and consented to providing a breath sample before requesting to contact a lawyer. The on-call judge did not answer after several attempts and Three Rivers Medical Center refused to do an exigent blood draw without a warrant. The on-call District Attorney advised officers to allow Bell to make a phone call to his lawyer and then perform the implied consent process. Robert Bell was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving and endangering his passenger during a weekend traffic stop on Rogue River Highway in Grants Pass. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Ford Mustang driven by 45-year-old Stanley Lee Miller near milepost 2 of Highway 99 on Friday at 11:52 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Miller for a traffic violation, he showed signs of impairment and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. They said Miller's female passenger was also impaired and both were taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. Stanley Miller was lodged at the Sobering Center for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Reckless Endangering. His passenger was placed on a detox hold. His Mustang was parked and secured at the scene of the traffic stop at his request.

 

Reports of explosions in a New Hope area neighborhood prompted numerous calls of a weekend house fire that claimed the lives of two dogs. Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and American Medical Response were dispatched to the structure fire on Genverna Glen on Saturday at 9:08 a.m.. Arriving units found the back porch of the home fully-involved with fire, with flames and smoke rapidly moving through the interior of the dwelling. Crews got a quick knockdown of the flames and then worked to search for two missing dogs inside. The occupant escaped without injury, but the dogs did not survive. Rural Metro received help from the Oregon State Fire Marshal in determining the cause of the fire was related to a propane heater. Officials remind residents to ensure adequate space of at least three feet away from any combustibles and to not remove any shields designed to deflect heat. The American Red Cross is assisting the occupant with post-fire support.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed an out-of-state fugitive for stealing a car and outstanding warrants following a high-risk traffic stop on the east side of the city last weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested 37-year-old Justin Reid Carr at gunpoint on SE N Street near Peter James Lane on Friday around 10:45 p.m.. Police said they spotted a Nissan 350 driven by Carr on Redwood Avenue near Allen Creek Road and the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Coos County. They followed the suspect and initiated a traffic stop where they challenged the suspect after he jumped out of the driver seat and attempted to flee on foot. According to the report, Carr admitted to knowing the Nissan was stolen and said he purchased it in Cave Junction with hopes to sell it for drugs. He was found to be wanted on three Del Norte County fugitive warrants charging him with Obstruction of Justice and two California penal code violations. Justin Carr was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and the out-of-state warrants. He was being held without bail. The registered owner of the stolen vehicle was notified about its recovery. It was impounded and towed away.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a woman wanted on a local warrant for drug trafficking during a patrol check near the downtown area late last week. According to the Police Department, officers contacted and then arrested 49-year-old Holly Nicole Heffner-Kriss at the corner of SW Booth and Foundry Streets on Friday afternoon. Police said they spotted Heffner-Kriss in front of the Reaching Our Community food pantry and knew that she was wanted on a Medford felony warrant for Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine. She was quickly placed into custody. Holly Heffner-Kriss was lodged at the Josephine County Jail awaiting transfer to the Jackson County Jail in Medford.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man wanted on outside and local warrants while investigating a weekend shoplifting complaint at a local supermarket. The Police Department reports officers responded to a theft call at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane on Friday around 6:25 p.m.. Police said 32-year-old Timothy Jordan Brenden passed all points of sale with no attempt to pay for more than $100 in items he had stolen from WinCo. He was detained by store security and placed into custody by officers who discovered he was wanted by two law enforcement jurisdictions. Brenden was wanted on a Douglas County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for two counts of 3rd-Degree Assault and one count of Disorderly Conduct. He was also wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Furnishing False Information to Police. Timothy Brenden was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrants along with a new charge of 2nd-Degree Theft. He was held without bail.