Local News

GP Police Department Investigation Led to Arrest of Woman for Felony Assault
A Grants Pass Police Department investigation has led to the arrest of a woman on a felony assault charge. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 59-year-old Marjorie Rose Anderson in the 2200-block of Rogue River Highway on Thursday. No details about the investigation have been disclosed, but Anderson was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 2nd-Degree Assault and she was being held without bail. Anderson has at least four arrests on her record since September 29th when deputies found her sitting in a ditch near the intersection of Upper River Road and Azalea Drive Cutoff. She walked away from deputies and was eventually arrested for Disorderly Conduct. More recently, Anderson was arrested Monday for shoving another woman to the ground in downtown Grants Pass. The incident was witnessed by several people and resulted in her arrest for Physical Harassment and Disorderly Conduct.
Posted on 11/11/23 5:08AM by Chuck Benson
 

MADGE Arrest on Highway 97 outside Chiloquin Yields 117 Pounds of Fentanyl
An arrest made by the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement (MADGE) team in Klamath County this week yielded 117 pounds of the deadly narcotic fentanyl. On Wednesday evening, MADGE intercepted a vehicle on Highway 97 outside of Chiloquin after investigators received information that the vehicle was transporting large amounts of narcotics between Southern California and Washington state. With assistance from the Oregon State Police, investigators stopped the vehicle and Medford Police K-9 "Brodie" alerted to the presence of narcotics. A search of the vehicle uncovered 117 pounds of fentanyl in powder and pill form. A loaded 9-millimeter handgun was also located in the vehicle. The arrested suspect was identified as 20-year-old Jothan Paul Barrios-Chable of Portland.The MADGE team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts and dismantles local, multi-state and international drug trafficking organizations using intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor support.The team is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), which is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Jackson County District Attorney's Office, Jackson County Parole & Probation, Homeland Security and the FBI.
Posted on 11/11/23 5:06AM by Chuck Benson
 

GP Police Jailed Man for Attacking 2 People with Machete at Treatment Center
Grants Pass Police jailed a man for attacking two people with a machete near a regional addiction treatment center yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 39-year-old Frank Charles Williams for the incident outside ADAPT in the 300-block of NE Beacon Drive on Thursday at 2:40 p.m.. Police said Williams was unprovoked when he approached two people who were standing in front of the center and tried to assault them. They said the first victim blocked the strikes with his arms and believed the weapon must still have been sheathed as he sustained a very minor injury before fleeing from the suspect. The second victim was unharmed after he fled from the attack. Williams then returned to his home across the street, came out on his own when police arrived on scene and was placed into custody without incident. Frank Williams was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts each of Felony Attempted 2nd-Degree Assault and Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, plus the resulting Parole Violation stemming from a criminal mischief conviction. He was being held without bail and the machete was seized as evidence.
Posted on 11/10/23 11:32AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Collared Felon on Weapons Charge after Home Depot Welfare Check
Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a felony weapons charge while performing a welfare check at Home Depot yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at the store on NE Mill Street around 12:20 a.m. Thursday. Police said a Home Depot employee called 9-1-1 to report two male and female subjects passed out in a Subaru Forester in the store parking lot. The caller said the vehicle had no license plates and the subjects had not moved for about 30 minutes. Responding officers contacted 39-year-old Michael Cecil Mokres and a woman identified as McKayla Harris in the Subaru. Mokres was found to be in possession of a firearm that was concealed in his waistband. Police also found a large amount of drug paraphernalia in the vehicle that was seized and destroyed. Michael Mokres was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He was being held without bail. Mokres and Harris were also cited to appear in court for the narcotics violations. Both were trespassed from Home Depot.
Posted on 11/10/23 11:30AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Arrested Motorist for Felony DUII after Multiple Traffic Complaints
Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for felony impaired driving last night after multiple traffic complaints that started in the city and ended on Interstate 5. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Nissan Crossover driven by 37-year-old Matthew Gary Beard in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 56 on Thursday around 9:30 p.m.. Police said Beard had been called in as a traffic complaint because he could not maintain his travel lane and nearly struck several motorists. The reports began on the Grants Pass Parkway near SE M Street and continued on the Parkway when one motorist followed the suspect vehicle onto the freeway. OSP was notified. Beard reportedly struck a guardrail on I-5 and nearly crashed with several other cars before he was pulled over. He showed indicators of impairment due to the use of multiple narcotic substances and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. Matthew Beard was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Endangering and Driving While Suspended. His vehicle was towed to the impound yard.
Posted on 11/10/23 11:29AM by Sam Marsh
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Deputies Arrested Woman for Causing Disturbance at Merlin Supermarket
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman for causing a disturbance at a Merlin area supermarket yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a report of suspicious activity at Ray's Food Place on Merlin Road around 2:45 p.m. Thursday. Deputies said a male caller reported that 50-year-old Shannon Leann Peterson showed up at the store half-naked and advised her husband had been abusing her. They said she was contacted a short time later at the nearby Dollar General store and she was covered with dried blood from small cuts. Peterson was given a blanket to cover herself while deputies investigated and determined that her claims of spousal abuse were unfounded. American Medical Response arrived on scene to help, but she declined medical treatment. Shannon Peterson was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct.
Posted on 11/10/23 11:27AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Snared Woman for Starting Cooking Fire in Downtown Area
Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for starting a cooking fire in the downtown area late yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident involving 54-year-old Amanda Marie Ahulau in an alley near the 600-block of SE 7th Street on Thursday at about 4:25 p.m.. Police said Ahulau gathered combustible materials and started a cooking fire in the alley. They said this caused public alarm to nearby residents and when they told her to stop, she began to scream and yell incoherently. The small fire was quickly extinguished and there was no spread to any structures. Amanda Ahulau was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. She was also trespassed from the area.
Posted on 11/10/23 11:26AM by Sam Marsh
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Squatters Nabbed for Moving into Vacant CJ Home without Permission
Two squatters who moved into a vacant home in the Cave Junction area were arrested yesterday. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 5600-block of Westside Road on Thursday afternoon after they received a call from a neighbor earlier in the day. Deputies said the next door neighbor noticed at least four people inside the vacant house and they contacted the property owner to advise them about the squatters. The suspects told them they were renting the house, but the owner refuted that claim and the Sheriff's Office was contacted. Upon arrival, deputies contacted 44-year-old Julie Love and 30-year-old Joe Thompson who admitted to moving in to the vacant home without permission. Both were charged with 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass and 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief because they cut the lock on a gate to gain access. Love and Thompson were cited to appear in court and released. They had several dogs, a trailer and other belongings that needed to be removed from the property.
Posted on 11/10/23 11:24AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Evicted Campers from Tussing Park after Citizen Complaint
Grants Pass Police evicted seven campers from a city park early yesterday after receiving a citizen complaint about ordinance violations. The Police Department reports officers responded to Tussing Park after a person reported trash all around the property, someone using a park bench as a tent and a male subject dancing around. Officers arrived on scene and determined the complaint was unfounded, but they found several other reasons to intervene. Ashley Hanson, Timothy Wood, Mark Huff, Melissa Koenig and Antoine Roberson were all cited for Illegal Camping after they failed to remove their already posted campsites. Roberson, John Hanson and Cory Russell were cited for Scattering Rubbish. All seven were trespassed from Tussing Park for 30 days. A campsite belonging to Joseph Hislip was removed the park and placed in safekeeping. Three shopping carts were recovered and returned to local stores.
Posted on 11/10/23 11:22AM by Sam Marsh
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OSP Investigation Led to Capture of Suspected Drug Dealer in Josephine County
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An Oregon State Police investigation in Josephine County resulted in the arrest of a suspected drug dealer, the seizure of more than 100 grams of fentanyl and the recovery of multiple firearms this week. On Monday, OSP Drug Enforcement Section troopers located 35-year-old Jesse Michael Rigel who was wanted on an outstanding warrant for parole violation stemming from previous convictions for Assault, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Hit-and-Run and Possession of Methamphetamine. According to OSP, Rigel had been evading police for more than a year. While searching an associated property in the 17,000-block of Redwood Highway, detectives located and recovered two stolen vehicles. Detectives additionally located and seized seven firearms including one that had been reported stolen, body armor, about 108 grams of suspected fentanyl and three grams of methamphetamine. Also found was evidence of narcotics distribution. Jesse Rigel was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrant. Jail records indicate he has since been transferred to another agency. However, he still faces additional local charges pending the conclusion of the investigation. OSP was assisted by the Grants Pass Police Department and Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE). Detectives said the investigation is ongoing.
Posted on 11/10/23 6:57AM by Sam Marsh
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Grants Pass Police Jailed Man for Attempting to Stab Motorist in Downtown Area
Grants Pass Police jailed a man for attempting to stab a motorist and damaging his vehicle in the downtown area this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 39-year-old Daniel Lee Wells for the incident at SW 6th and G streets near the Downtown Welcome Center around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday. Police said Wells was crossing the street against a no-walk signal when a truck driven by a man had to brake abruptly to avoid striking him. They said a verbal argument ensued and Wells withdrew a large knife, charged at the man's truck and swung the knife through the open window so the man had move around to avoid being stabbed. Wells then stabbed the exterior of the man's driver-side door, causing damage where the tip of the knife penetrated the metal door panel. The suspect was arrested a few blocks away a short time later and the knife was seized as evidence. Daniel Wells was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempted 2nd-Degree Assault, Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing and 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 11/10/23 6:55AM by Sam Marsh
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Authorities Looking for Driver Who Smashed Car into Tree in the Illinois Valley
Authorities were looking for the driver of a vehicle that smashed into a tree near Cave Junction late yesterday. On Thursday at 4:33 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the single-vehicle wreck near milepost 1 of Dick George Road near Shadywood Drive. Arriving units found a heavily-damaged vehicle lodged head-first into a tree. No driver or occupants were found after emergency crews searched the area. Deputies flagged the crash scene and the Sheriff's Office was investigating.
Posted on 11/10/23 6:51AM by Sam Marsh
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