KAJO 99.7FM - Local News

Authorities Investigating Double-Fatal Shooting Plus 2nd Shooting in CJ Area

Two men were jailed over the weekend for the shooting deaths of two other men at a residence near Cave Junction plus there was another shooting in Cave Junction. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies and the Oregon State Police responded to the shooting incident in the 1700-block of White Schoolhouse Road on Saturday at 3:44 p.m.. Undersheriff Travis Snyder said deputies and troopers located two deceased males with apparent gunshot wounds. Due to the nature of the incident and the lack of investigative resources, the Sheriff's Office requested OSP investigate the incident. Josephine County Jail records show two men were arrested in connection with the incident. OSP lodged 47-year-old Javier Martinez-Avalos and 40-year-old Sergio Calderon-Martinez for the slayings. Both are being held on two counts each of Aggravated Murder and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. The victims were not identified and the investigation is continuing. Meanwhile, deputies and troopers responded to another shooting in the 100-block of South Kerby Road in Cave Junction on Sunday at 12:44 p.m.. When deputies arrived on scene, they located a male subject with gunshot wounds to his upper body. He was transported to a hospital and is in stable condition. This case remains under investigation and further details are unavailable at this time. Snyder said at this time, there is nothing connecting this incident to the incident on White Schoolhouse Road. If anyone has information regarding this incident, please contact the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.

Posted on 11/20/23 11:44AM by Sam Marsh

GP Woman Injured When She Crashed Vehicle on Interstate 5 on Mount Sexton

A Grants Pass woman was injured when she crashed her vehicle on Interstate 5 on Mount Sexton during a weekend rainstorm. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle wreck in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 68 at about 11:45 a.m. Saturday. Troopers said 72-year-old Susan Faye Johnson was driving a Toyota 4-Runner when she lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve and crashed into the center divider. They said the wreck occurred just as heavy rain had moved into the area. According to OSP, Johnson was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. Her wrecked vehicle was hauled into Grants Pass by Oregon Towing. OSP was assisted at the scene by Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Posted on 11/20/23 11:28AM by Sam Marsh

GP Man Cited for Causing Weekend Motor Vehicle Crash on Riverbanks Road

A Grants Pass man was cited for causing a weekend motor vehicle accident on Riverbanks Road late yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the two-vehicle collision near milepost 16 of State Route 260 at 4:32 p.m. Sunday. Troopers said 35-year-old Nicholaus Peter Faulkner was driving a Chevrolet Silverado when he pulled out in the roadway directly in front of a Pontiac G6 driven by a 15-year old driver from Grants Pass. The G6 ran into the side of the Silverado, which sustained minor damage and was able to be driven away. According to OSP, the teenage driver of the G6 complained of knee pain and was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center as a precautionary measure. Faulkner and the teen's adult male passenger were not hurt. The G6 was heavily damaged and towed by Caveman Towing. Following an investigation, Faulkner was issued a citation for Failure to Yield to Oncoming Traffic.

Posted on 11/20/23 11:27AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Man on Warrant after Responding to Fairgrounds Complaint

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant after responding to a weekend complaint at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a disorderly conduct call involving 57-year-old Robert Vincent Jones near the Fairgrounds late Friday afternoon. Police said Jones was reported to be standing in the median west of the entrance to the facility throwing rocks, trash and other items at passing vehicles. There were no reports of damage or injuries, but Jones complained of chest pain upon contact. A routine records check showed that Jones was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was placed into custody without further incident. Robert Jones was lodged in jail on the warrant.

Posted on 11/20/23 11:26AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Woman for Probation Violation after Meth Pipe Found in Car

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for violating terms of her probation by using drugs after she was found passed out behind the wheel of an idling vehicle on the east side of the city near Walmart. The Police Department reports officers were on patrol when they contacted 44-year-old Carrie Leann Parren in the 100-block of NE Terry Lane on Saturday at about 2:30 a.m.. Police said they spotted an idling Acura sedan with Parren passed out behind the wheel. They said a methamphetamine pipe was observed in the center console, although the suspect said she had not used anything recreationally that night. Officers contacted Parren's corrections officer who requested she be placed on a detainer. Carrie Parren was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail for Probation Violation because she had failed to report to her corrections officer. She was also cited to appear in court for the narcotics violation.

Posted on 11/20/23 11:24AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Man for Traffic Violation after Call from ROC Food Pantry

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for a traffic violation at the Reaching Our Community (ROC) food pantry over the weekend. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance at the ROC -- which is located in the 500-block of SW Foundry Street -- on Saturday around 10:50 a.m.. Police said 61-year-old Gregory Scott Hicks was the subject of a traffic call after he arrived at the food pantry and became aggressive with staff members. Upon arrival, officers observed him in the driver's seat of a running Nissan sedan. His license was suspended and he told officers another person drove the vehicle. According to the report, there was an open bottle and several miniature bottles of alcohol in the vehicle -- but Hicks did not display any signs of impairment. Gregory Hicks was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving While Suspended. The case was forwarded to the District Attorney's Office for prosecution.

Posted on 11/20/23 11:23AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Cited Several Campers and Evicted Most of Them in Park Patrols

Grants Pass Police cited several campers and evicted most of them during city park patrol checks early Sunday. During a patrol check at Baker Park, several people were observed camping after they had been posted with a removal date of Saturday. Timothy Teige, Andrew Peek, John Francis, Ashley Strempel, Vincent Manning, John Hanson and Marilyn Humphrey were all cited for Illegal Camping and trespassed from the park for 30 days. Peek, Strempel and Humphrey were also cited for Improper Utilization of Park Space while Manning and Teige were also cited for Scattering Rubbish. During a patrol check at Riverside Park, William Stroh, Glenn Miller, Noah Reyelets and David Wilson were cited for Illegal Camping after being posted. Reyelets and Stroh were additionally cited for Scattering Rubbish and given park exclusions. During a patrol check at Tussing Park, Marissa Winters was observed with a plastic tooter containing fentanyl residue. She was cited for drug possession and trespassed from the park for 30 days. During a patrol check at Westholm Park, Cory Russell was cited for Scattering Rubbish.

Posted on 11/20/23 11:22AM by Sam Marsh

Sara Converse Wins Ultimate Oregon Tailgate at Diamond Home Improvement

Congratulations to Sara Converse, the winner of the Ultimate Oregon Tailgate drawing held Saturday at Diamond Home Improvement in Grants Pass. Sara took home the grand prize package that include two tickets to the Civil War football game on Friday in Eugene, a Traeger 810 Silverton Pellet Grill, a $100 VISA gift card and $100 to spend at Cartwright's Market. Diamond also gave away seven other gift cards during the annual event.

Posted on 11/20/23 11:14AM by Sam Marsh

Wolf Creek Man & Sons in Custody for Roughing Up Squatter Found at House

A Wolf Creek man and his two sons are in custody for allegedly beating up a squatter they found inside a vacant home he owns in northern Josephine County. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 61-year-old Paul Anthony Leighton, 35-year-old Anthony Edward Leighton and 32-year-old Joshua Allen Leighton on Saturday for the incident in the 100-block of McIntosh Lane. Deputies said Leighton and his sons went to the house because they heard a transient squatter was living there. They removed the squatter by force, causing physical injury. The victim was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass for treatment of facial injuries. According to the report, the victim was punched, grabbed and wrestled to the ground by the sons, but the father did not become physical. However, the father admitted to hearing about the squatter and calling on his sons to go with him. Paul Leighton was charged with 4th-Degree Assault while Anthony Leighton and Joshua Leighton were charged with Felony 3rd-Degree Assault. All three men were lodged at the Josephine County Jail and they were being held without bail.

Posted on 11/20/23 6:29AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Jailed Sunny Valley Woman for Probation Violation by Stealing Auto

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Sunny Valley woman for violating her probation by stealing a vehicle in Grants Pass. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 27-year-old Tesla Elouise Jinks in the 400-block of Old Highway 99 in Wolf Creek on Saturday at 11:21 a.m.. They had been looking for her at a residence on Placer Road, but she was not there. Deputies said Jinks was the suspect in the theft of a Lincoln Town Car that occurred on November 14th. They said she was found in the driver's seat of the stolen car in the parking lot that stores buses across from the Wolf Creek General Store. Some clothing that was worn by the auto theft suspect was found in the car and she was placed into custody without incident. Tesla Jinks was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and the resulting Probation Violation related to previous crimes she allegedly committed. Jail records show she has been arrested three times for Felony Parole Violation since June 1st and she was being held on a no-bail detainer. The stolen vehicle was recovered by its registered owner.

Posted on 11/20/23 6:19AM by Sam Marsh

Police Snared Woman for Warrant and Other Crimes at Grants Pass Skate Park

Police arrested a woman on an outstanding warrant and for additional crimes after she was found camping inside a restroom at the Grants Pass Skate Park. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers responded to reports that there were subjects living in the restroom at the skate park located in the 800-block of SE M Street on Saturday around 12:20 p.m.. Police arrived on scene and contacted 54-year-old Amanda Marie Ahulau inside the restroom. She had left garbage scattered in the bathroom and placed items in the toilet that would make it a substantial inconvenience for park staff to clean out. She was also in possession of a WinCo shopping cart valued at more than $1,000. A routine records check revealed that Ahulau was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct. She was placed into custody. Amanda Ahulau was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant along with new charges of Felony 1st-Degree Theft, 2nd-Degree Disorderly Conduct, 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief and Offensive Littering. She was also cited for Illegal Camping and trespassed from the skate park for 30 days.

Posted on 11/20/23 6:17AM by Sam Marsh

One Person Injured in Chain-Reaction Crash on Interstate 5 on Mount Sexton

One person was injured in a chain-reaction weather-related crash that occurred over the weekend at a notorious section of Interstate 5 in northern Josephine County. On Saturday at 11:36 a.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, American Medical Response and the Oregon State Police were dispatched to a motor vehicle mishap in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 68 on Mount Sexton. Rural Metro officials said the wreck occurred just as heavy rain moved into the area. As a result of the first crash, a second crash occurred. One person was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. No one else was hurt. The Oregon Department of Transportation assisted with traffic control while the scene was active. At least one vehicle was towed into Grants Pass. Officials said this freeway location is no stranger to crashes, especially when the pavement is wet and driving habits are not adjusted accordingly.

Posted on 11/20/23 6:16AM by Sam Marsh