Local News

GP Police Recovered Stolen Van & Snared Woman for Felony Weapons Crime
Grants Pass Police recovered a stolen vehicle and arrested a woman on a felony weapons charge following a weekend traffic stop on Rogue River Highway. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a 2023 Pacifica minivan on Highway 99 near Parkdale Drive on Sunday at 11:07 a.m.. Police they stopped the minivan after it was determined that it had been stolen out of Riverside, California. It was driven by a man identified as Pierre Razo and occupied by a woman identified as 41-year-old Molly Allen Huerta. Huerta's ex-boyfriend reported that she had stolen the minivan, but he did not want to pursue charges of vehicle theft. However, Huerta was found to be in possession of a short-barreled shotgun, which was seized as evidence as was the vehicle. Molly Huerta was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Felony Possession of a Prohibited Firearm. She was being held without bail. After being detained and interviewed, Pierre Razo was released.
Posted on 1/2/24 5:58AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Jailed Man for Hitting Man and Threatening Others with Large Stick
Grants Pass Police jailed a man for hitting another man and threatening others with a large stick at a southwest city gas station-convenience store early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to the disturbance at Speedway Express in the Allen Creek Shopping Center on Monday shortly after 4 a.m.. Police said 49-year-old Daniel Reese Wise, Jr., entered the station and got into a verbal argument with employees when he refused to leave. They said the suspect then demanded assistance with his bicycle and a physical altercation erupted when they refused. Wise struck one worker with a large stick, causing physical injury and placing him in fear of serious physical injury or death. He also caused alarm to other employees and customers with his loud and tumultuous behavior. Responding officers placed Daniel Wise into custody without further incident. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 2nd-Degree Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail. His bicycle was placed in safekeeping and he was trespassed from the station.
Posted on 1/2/24 5:56AM by Sam Marsh
 

Deputies Jailed Man for Weekend Incident of Domestic Violence near Murphy
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for a weekend incident of domestic violence near Murphy. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a domestic disturbance in the 600-block of Copper Drive on Sunday at about 10:15 a.m.. Deputies said they received a call from a woman who reported her daughter was injured when her boyfriend broke a window out of a vehicle. The daughter had sent photos of several cuts to her face and hands to her mother, asking her to call 9-1-1. Upon arrival, deputies interviewed the victim and 44-year-old Michael Robert Warren while documenting the victim's injuries. As a result, the suspect was placed into custody. Michael Warren was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 4th-Degree Domestic Assault and 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 1/2/24 5:54AM by Sam Marsh
 

Jackson County Sheriff's Office Adds Officer & Dog to Local K-9 Unit in 2024
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office welcomes a new K-9 officer to its ranks in 2024. K-9 Sjeffie (Sheffie) is a 2-1/2-year-old male Dutch Shepherd who recently graduated from a five-week training along with his handler, Deputy Ridout. Deputy Ridout reported K-9 Sjeffie is very smart and learns quickly. The dog did very well in handler school which included daily physical training, canine care, tracking, building searches, obedience, legal parameters and case law, and apprehension training. At the end of handler school, Deputy Ridout and Sjeffie passed the Oregon Police Canine Association (OPCA) standardized certification. Ridout said his long-term goal was becoming a K-9 Handler during his six years in law enforcement. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit now has four full-time patrol teams, ensuring 24/7 coverage for the community. All four patrol dogs come from the same local breeders and trainers -- Dutch Canine and Emma Delacruz.
Posted on 1/2/24 5:49AM by Sam Marsh
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Officials Say Little about Report of Suspicious Deaths at Rogue Valley Medical Center
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Hospital officials and police are saying little about a Southern Oregon news report that an employee at a Medford hospital diverted medicine, resulting in the death of at least one person. The Oregonian/OregonLive has not independently verified the report from KOBI-TV in Medford, which cited unnamed sources about the incident at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. Lieutenant Geoff Kirkpatrick of the Medford Police Department would confirm to The Oregonian/OregonLive only that police are investigating an incident, but he would not describe the scope of the investigation or provide any details. A spokesperson for Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, Lauren Van Sickle, did not answer questions Sunday from The Oregonian/OregonLive about how many people may have died or when the hospital alerted police. KOBI-TV reported Friday that police were investigating at least one patient death at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. On Saturday, the television station further reported that unnamed sources alleged nine or 10 people had died from infections stemming from the diversion of medicine. Officials with the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon State Police, Oregon Medical Examiner and the FBI did not return messages seeking comment last weekend.
Posted on 1/2/24 5:38AM by Sam Marsh
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OHA Says Show Resolve to Get Vaccinated Against Respiratory Viruses for the New Year
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With the New Year here, Oregon health officials are asking people to resolve in 2024 to get vaccinated against respiratory viruses that are on the rise in the state. Dr. Dean Sidelinger, health officer and state epidemiologist for the Oregon Health Authority, says vaccination remains the best way for Oregonians to protect themselves against COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -- and it's not too late to get any of the vaccines. The renewed push for vaccinations comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published the latest version of a report on Fall 2023 respiratory virus vaccination coverage among adults. The report includes national and jurisdiction-specific estimates for influenza, COVID-19 and RSV vaccination coverage among adults 18 and older from the National Immunization Survey-Adult COVID Module. CDC forecasting predicts a steady increase of hospitalizations. According to the report, 25% of eligible Oregon adults have received the 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine, 40.8% have received the influenza vaccine, and 20.3% have received the RSV vaccine.
Posted on 1/2/24 5:35AM by Sam Marsh
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City of Grants Pass has Several Opportunities to Get More Involved in Local Government
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If you made a New Year's resolution to get more involved in local government, the City of Grants Pass has several opportunities for you. There is one position open on the Grants Pass Parks Advisory Committee and the deadline for applications is this Friday, January 5th. There is one position open on the Grants Pass-Josephine County Collaborative Economic Development Committee. The deadline for applications is January 12th. There are four positions open on the Grants Pass Budget Committee, with the application deadline on January 26th. There is one position open on the Committee on Public Art and the deadline for applications is February 2nd. For more information on these committee openings, visit the City of Grants Pass website at "grantspassoregon.gov."
Posted on 1/2/24 5:32AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Nabbed Man for Stealing Walmart Property & Trying to Flee in Car
Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing merchandise from Walmart and then trying to drive away with the goods. The Police Department reports officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at the store on NE Terry Lane on Saturday at about 11:50 a.m.. Police said 35-year-old Nikola Markovic collected around $113 worth of items from Walmart and passed all points of sale, depriving the store of its property. He was seen leaving the parking lot in a red vehicle that was stopped in short order. Markovic was placed into custody and lodged at the nearby jail facility for 2nd-Degree Theft. The stolen property was returned to Walmart.
Posted on 1/1/24 8:21AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Nabbed Motorist for Impaired Driving in Downtown Traffic Stop
Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving after a weekend traffic stop in the downtown area. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Chevrolet pickup truck driven by 22-year-old George Arthur Bedollatinajero near the corner of SE 6th and H streets on Saturday at 1:45 a.m.. Police said Bedollatinajero was observed committing multiple traffic violation, so he was pulled over. They said numerous indicators of impairment were displayed and the suspect refused to participate in field sobriety tests. He eventually agreed to provide a breath sample that was well over the legal driving limit. George Bedollatinajero was placed into custody and lodged in jail for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. A sober passenger took control of the pickup.
Posted on 1/1/24 8:20AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Jailed Man for Threatening Restaurant Manager and Others with Knife
Grants Pass Police incarcerated a man for threatening the manager of a fast food restaurant and others with a knife. The Police Department reports officers arrested 44-year-old Danial Bryan Cook for the incident at Carl's Jr. on NE Terry Lane on Saturday at 12:54 p.m.. Police said Danial Cook was asked to leave by the restaurant manager due to his disorderly behavior. They said Cook pointed a large fixed-blade knife at the victim and threatened to kill him. The suspect reportedly remained in the general area of the restaurant swinging the knife around and threatening other people, generating at least four more callers due to his conduct that was causing public alarm. Responding officers tracked down Cook south of WinCo Foods and placed him into custody. The suspect had dropped the knife, but a search of the area located the weapon and it was seized as evidence. Danial Cook was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 1/1/24 6:01AM by Sam Marsh
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GP Police Snared Man for 6 Crimes after He Tried to Steal Gas from U-Haul Yard
Grants Pass Police arrested a man for six alleged crimes after he was caught trying to steal gasoline from trucks at the new U-Haul facility in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a theft complaint at the U-Haul yard in the 2300-block of NW Hawthorne Avenue early Friday morning. Police said the manager called 9-1-1 to report a male subject was walking around the trucks with a fuel can before the yard opened for business. Responding officers contacted 30-year-old Chance Vaughn-Edward Kersten amongst the trucks while carrying a fuel can, a rubber hose and smelling like gasoline. Kersten admitted to unsuccessfully attempting to siphon fuel from at least one of the trucks. While he was being placed into custody, he was found to be in possession of a counterfeit driver's license that had his photo but the name and information of another person. The fake identification was seized as evidence. Chance Kersten was subsequently lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Aggravated Identity Theft, Identity Theft, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, 1st-Degree Theft, Attempted 3rd-Degree Theft and Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle. He was being held without bail.
Posted on 1/1/24 6:00AM by Sam Marsh
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Deputies Collared Local Fugitives during Weekend Patrol Check in Illinois Valley
The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested two men on outstanding warrants during a weekend patrol check in the Illinois Valley. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies contacted 44-year-old Justin Dwaine Eidem and 54-year-old David Lesley Ingram near the intersection of Happy Camp and Takilma roads on Saturday around 11:35 a.m.. Deputies said Eidem and Ingram were cutting firewood without permits and both were warned for Unlawful Collection of Forest Products. It was determined that Ingram was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Probation Violation related to 3rd-Degree Theft. He was placed into custody. Eidem reportedly gave deputies a false name -- but once his true identity was revealed, it was determined that he was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for Probation Violation related to 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. He was charged with Furnishing False Information to Police and placed into custody. Justin Eidem and David Ingram were transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on no-bail probation detainers. Their vehicle was towed.
Posted on 1/1/24 5:59AM by Sam Marsh
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