Local News

Sheriff's Deputies Arrested Applegate Valley Man on Local Felony Warrant
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested an Applegate Valley man on a local felony warrant while performing a welfare check early yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies contacted 41-year-old Frank Anderson at a home in the 10,000-block of Williams Highway on Thursday around 9 a.m.. Deputies said they received a call from Anderson's sister who had been calling him for a few days and did not get a response. They said she was concerned about him due to several health issues including a recent infection. Upon arrival, deputies contacted Anderson and learned that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Delivery of Methamphetamine. The warrant dated back to 2021. Due to the infection, Anderson was cited to appear in court and released. He was offered transport to the hospital, but refused to go.
Posted on 9/15/23 11:32AM by Sam Marsh
 

Man Caught Sleeping in Doorway of Downtown Business Jailed on Warrant
A man caught sleeping in the doorway of a business in downtown Grants Pass early yesterday was arrested on a local felony warrant. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers contacted 52-year-old Tyler Allan Pinard in the 100-block of SE H Street on Thursday shortly after 5 a.m.. Police said they advised Pinard he could not sleep in the doorways of merchants in the downtown business district and -- when they ran a records check on the man -- they discovered that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a past conviction for Unlawful Use of a Weapon. Tyler Pinard was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail.
Posted on 9/15/23 11:31AM by Sam Marsh
 

Grants Pass Police Apprehended Well-Known Fugitive in SE Part of City
Grants Pass Police apprehended a well-known local fugitive in the southeast part of the city yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 24-year-old Cody Allen Pickle near the corner of Fruitdale Drive and Gaffney Way on Thursday at 11:34 a.m.. Police said they were on patrol in that area when they spotted Pickle who was known to them by sight. A routine records check revealed that he was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for Probation Violation related to arrests for Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Criminal Mischief and Criminal Trespass. Cody Pickle was placed into custody, transported to the Josephine County Jail and lodged on a no-bail detainer.
Posted on 9/15/23 11:29AM by Sam Marsh
 

OSP Collared Merlin Man on Outstanding Warrants in Interstate 5 Stop
The Oregon State Police arrested a Merlin man on outstanding warrants after a traffic stop on Interstate 5 in the North Valley area yesterday. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Toyota Scion XB driven by 60-year-old Jerry Don Cooper, Jr., in the northbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 63 on Thursday at 9:37 a.m.. Troopers said they stopped Cooper for a traffic violation and discovered that he was wanted on multiple arrest warrants. Charges contained in the warrants were 4th-Degree Assault and two counts of Failure to Report as a Sex Offender. Jerry Cooper was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. The car he was driving was towed into town at the owner's request.
Posted on 9/15/23 11:28AM by Sam Marsh
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OSP Nabbed Wolf Creek Man for DUII after Traffic Stop in Grants Pass
The Oregon State Police arrested a Wolf Creek man for impaired driving after a traffic stop in south Grants Pass late last night. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Subaru Forester driven by 31-year-old Brennan Michael McGee near the intersection of Fruitdale Drive and Williams Highway on Thursday at 11:32 p.m.. Troopers said they observed McGee driving recklessly, initiated a traffic stop and immediately noticed that his eyes were glassy and watery and his balance was not stable. They said he refused to perform field sobriety tests, so a search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw. Based on the results of the blood draw, McGee was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Reckless Driving and Reckless Endangering. He had a passenger who was identified as a 29-year-old Grants Pass man. Brennan McGee was lodged at the Josephine County Jail while his vehicle was parked and secured.
Posted on 9/15/23 11:26AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Issued Citations & Evicted Campers in Thursday Park Patrols
Grants Pass Police issued some citations and evicted four campers from city parks on Thursday. According to the Police Department, yesterday's incidents occurred at Morrison, Baker and Riverside Parks. At Morrison Centennial Park, Kory Russell was cited for Unlawful Utilization of Park Space and Scattering Rubbish. He had been warned for those violations the day before, so he was trespassed from the park for 30 days. At Baker Park, David Wilson was cited for Camping in a Buffer Zone and Unlawful Utilization of Park Space. He was trespassed from the park for 30 days. The owner of a vehicle parked in a boat trailer space was cited. At Riverside Park, Mya McCreery was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Misuse of Park Space. She was trespassed from the park for 30 days. Back at Morrison Park, Justis Cory was cited for Possession of a Controlled Substance. He had been seen doing drugs in the restroom by a citizen and was trespassed from the park for 30 days.
Posted on 9/15/23 11:24AM by Sam Marsh
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New Team Takes Over Management of Flat and Anvil Fires in Curry County
Great Basin Incident Management Team 4 has taken command of the Flat and Anvil fires burning in nearby Curry County. Team 4 reported this morning that the Flat Fire was holding at 34,242 acres with 75% containment, but the Anvil Fire increased in size to 4,438 acres with 0% containment and it was threatening areas about eight miles east of Port Orford. Total personnel of 92 was assigned to the Flat Fire today while 353 were assigned to the Anvil Fire. The Curry County Sheriff's Office ordered a Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation along Elk River Road to the Butler Bar Campground. The Sheriff had assigned a Level 2 "Be Set" evacuation from Edson Creek Campground to Sixes River Campground the day before. All areas around the Flat Fire remain at Level 1 "Be Ready." Firefighters are continuing their efforts to protect area residences by digging lines and preparing hoses and pumps used to protect homes if fire approaches them. The new team will continue to support firefighters assigned to both wildfires while working with local land management agencies to ensure the safety of the public and firefighters. Objectives include full fire containment while minimizing adverse impacts to cultural, recreational, natural resources, watershed, wilderness, wildlife habitat and local business concerns.
Posted on 9/15/23 6:44AM by Sam Marsh
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Structure Fire on Jumpoff Joe Creek Road Drew Big Response of Agencies
A two-alarm structure fire in the Hugo area north of Grants Pass this week drew a large response from multiple agencies. Late Wednesday night, Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and Jackson County Fire District #1 were dispatched to the structure fire in the 4800-block of Jumpoff Joe Creek Road. Arriving units found the nearly 4,000-square-foot shop building heavily involved in flames. The campaign that took just over four hours to fully extinguish involved six engine companies, four water tenders and two battalion chiefs. Only one minor injury was reported to an occupant who was evaluated by American Medical Response on scene and did not require treatment. Despite the fire occurring during a Red Flag Warning, it did not spread to the main house or a significant amount of the surrounding vegetation. The small vegetation fire was contained at just 1/10th of an acre by the Oregon Department of Forestry. However, several vehicles close to the exterior of the structure were destroyed. As part of the Rogue Valley Fire Chiefs Association "Mutual Aid System," units from the Illinois Valley Fire District, Williams Rural Fire Protection District and Applegate Valley Fire District moved into Grants Pass to cover additional calls. The Oregon State Fire Marshal is assisting Rural Metro with the investigation.
Posted on 9/15/23 6:42AM by Sam Marsh
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Deputies Captured IV Woman Who Led Them on Redwood Highway Pursuit
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed an Illinois Valley woman who led deputies on a pursuit on Redwood Highway this week. The Sheriff's Office reports 40-year-old Natassia Ann Berger was finally arrested at gunpoint at a medical clinic in Cave Junction late Wednesday morning. Deputies said they attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Berger because she failed to signal a turn while passing another vehicle. They said she refused to stop and drove recklessly at speeds well over 100 miles per hour while failing to yield for two stop signs and one red light. She also drove into oncoming traffic. Berger's vehicle was successfully spiked near Kenrose Lane and it began losing rubber as she entered Cave Junction. She stopped and was placed into custody at the clinic before being transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for evaluation. Natassia Berger was medically cleared at the hospital and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on charges of Felony Attempt to Elude Police, Reckless Driving and Driving While Suspended. She was also wanted on two Josephine County felony warrants for Probation Violation related to previous arrests for Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Attempted to Elude Police, Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage and Driving While Suspended. Her vehicle was towed to the local impound yard.
Posted on 9/15/23 6:41AM by Sam Marsh
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Deputies Jailed Williams Man for Threatening Mother and Vandalizing Her Car
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Williams area man this week for intentionally damaging his mother's vehicle and threatening to cause her harm. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 38-year-old William George Muir for the incident in the 900-block of Tetherow Road on Wednesday night. Deputies said the incident began at 4:45 p.m. when Muir called 9-1-1 to report that his mother assaulted him with a deadly weapon. An investigation revealed that the woman hit her son with a wooden spoon to defend herself so she could escape. Further investigation revealed that Muir broke out a window on his mother's car and poured motor oil all over the interior of the vehicle. The suspect also threw items at his mother and her car. When asked by deputies what happened, Muir stated that barnyard animals had keyed the car and broke the window. William Muir was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Menacing and Criminal Mischief.
Posted on 9/15/23 6:40AM by Sam Marsh
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Ongoing Feud between Neighbors in South GP Led to Arrest of 1 for Vandalism
A long-standing feud between neighbors in south Grants Pass led to the arrest of one of them for vandalism this week. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers responded to an incident in the 100-block of Harmony Circle on Wednesday morning. Police said a man living at that address called 9-1-1 to report he had surveillance footage of his neighbor -- 38-year-old Jason Edwin Cutting -- shining a blue laser light into his camera and destroying it. The caller told dispatchers his security system was "fried" due to the actions of his neighbor. Officers arrived on scene and contacted Cutting who admitted to shining the laser into the camera because of ongoing disputes between he and his neighbor. The underlying cause of the disputes was not disclosed. Jason Cutting was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 9/15/23 6:38AM by Sam Marsh
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OSP Nabbed GP Motorist for Impaired Driving after Highway 199 Traffic Stop
The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass woman for impaired driving after an early morning traffic stop on Redwood Highway west of the city. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Dodge Neon driven by 30-year-old Joey Victoria Hebdon near milepost 5 of US Highway 199 on Thursday at 12:12 a.m.. Troopers said they stopped Hebdon for a traffic violation and she showed obvious signs of impairment. They said she performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where she provided a breath sample that was more than twice the legal driving limit. Joey Hebdon was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. She was cited to appear in court and released to a friend. Her car was parked and secured.
Posted on 9/15/23 6:30AM by Sam Marsh
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