Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local warrant after finding him hiding at his grandmother's house late last night. According to the Police Department, officers located 25-year-old Alex Ushaiah Tallman at a home in the 700-block of NE 10th Street at 11:22 p.m. Wednesday. Police said they were looking for Tallman because he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Domestic Menacing. They saw the suspect enter the driveway of the residence and moved in for the arrest. Tallman's grandmother answered the door and claimed her grandson had escaped out a window. She consented to a search of her home and officers found Tallman hiding inside a closet. Tallman was placed into custody and lodged in jail on the outstanding warrant.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on two outstanding warrants yesterday after they found her hiding inside a vehicle at a city park. According to the Police Department, officers located 20-year-old Kassandrea Faith Electra Caryn Sinks slumped down in the rear seat of a vehicle at Baker Park on Wednesday at 10:44 a.m.. Police said Sinks was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Identity Theft and 2nd-Degree Theft as well as a Medford Police Department warrant for Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. Once Sinks was located, she was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman on a local warrant while investigating a trespassing complaint at a North Valley area convenience store early yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to the incident at the Li'l Pantry Market & Deli on Monument Drive on Wednesday around 5:30 a.m.. Deputies said a store employee called 9-1-1 to report a female subject later identified as 40-year-old Jenifer Renae Scott was loitering inside and outside the market for more than two hours. The caller said they had been asking her to leave for a half-hour, but she refused to do so. Upon arrival, deputies contacted Scott and discovered that she was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Methamphetamine Possession and Possession of a Schedule 2 Controlled Substance. Scott was lodged in jail on the outstanding warrants and she was trespassed from Li'l Pantry.

 

The Medford Police Department has made an arrest in its April 25th homicide investigation. Last Friday at about 2 a.m., MPD officers responded to a report of a person down near Lowe's Home Improvement store located on Delta Waters Road. Upon arrival, officers discovered 36-year-old Rory James Pomeroy suffering from life-threatening traumatic injuries. He was treated at the scene and transported to a local hospital by Mercy Flights ambulance. Officers and detectives immediately began investigating the incident and quickly identified a possible suspect who was located and detained in the vicinity. Both the victim and suspect are believed to be experiencing homelessness and were staying in the area. Due to insufficient evidence, the suspect was interviewed and released. Later on Friday, MPD was notified that Pomeroy had died from his injuries. A forensic autopsy was conducted by the Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office on Monday which determined the cause of death to be homicide. On Tuesday, MPD detectives recovered what is believed to be the weapon used in the homicide from a nearby storm drain. On Wednesday at about 9:30 a.m., detectives located and arrested 34-year-old Christopher Shane Boyce at a residence on Upton Road in Central Point. He was lodged at the Jackson County Jail for suspicion of 2nd-Degree Murder and 1st-Degree Manslaughter. The case was referred to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office for prosecution. This remains an active investigation.

 

An Illinois Valley man is in custody for four felony-level crimes after he allegedly fired several shots at two people and stole a quad from a Cave Junction area home. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 31-year-old Blaine Matthew Case for the incident in the 5200-block of Dick George Road on Tuesday evening. Deputies said they initially received a report that a male subject came onto the property looking for the owner, got into a verbal argument with the caretakers and fired five or six rounds at them. They said five bullet casings were recovered from where the shots were fired and four of the bullets struck the garage very close to where the victims were standing. The shooter fled the scene. A short time later, Case returned to the property and stole an Arctic Cat ATV from the victims. An investigation determined the suspect was a former employee of the property owner who lives nearby and his vehicle was identified as a GMC Yukon. Deputies located the stolen quad in the garage of Case's residence, but he was not there. They tracked him down at or near Illinois River Forks State Park and placed him into custody. Case was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges including two counts of Attempted 1st-Degree Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle plus a misdemeanor charge of 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing an expensive cell phone from the vehicle of a city contractor this week. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the crime near the temporary resting site at the corner of 6th and A streets on Tuesday. Police said the victim's vehicle was parked in a dirt area near the unhoused camp across the street from City Hall when the incident occurred. They said the victim contracts with the City to clean up the resting site. Further investigation revealed that 42-year-old Christopher Davis was captured on video stealing the Samsung phone valued at $1,200 after entering the victim's vehicle. Davis was located and contacted. He admitted to the theft, but the phone had already changed hands and it was not recovered. Davis was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Theft and Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police have arrested a resident of a downtown temporary resting site on arson-related charges. On Monday at about 5:10 p.m., GPPD and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at the 6th and A Street homeless encampment. Upon arrival of police, unhoused campers were observed pouring water bottles on a tarp that was on fire. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze and determined that it had destroyed approximately eight feet of city-owned privacy screen that was attached to the fence. No injuries were reported. Grants Pass Police Sergeant Nieminen who supervises the Community Response Team investigated and determined that Jack Doak, a 35-year-old resident of the resting area, had intentionally set the fire. On Tuesday, Doak was arrested and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Reckless Burning and 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief.

 

With assistance from its partners, Grants Pass firefighters saved a downtown area home from being destroyed by fire last night. On Wednesday evening, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a backyard fire that extended to a home in the 200-block of NE 8th Street near B Street. Several engines were dispatched to the structure fire along with mutual aid from Rural Metro Fire Department. Before the arrival of firefighters, Grants Pass police officers were first on scene and took quick action to help slow the spread of the flames to the house. Their efforts were key in buying precious time. Thanks to the rapid response of all involved, crews were able to contain the fire and save most of the home. Everyone made it out safely and only minor injuries were reported. Firefighters also worked alongside the occupants to rescue multiple animals from the residence. Grants Pass officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will consider grant agreements, a purchase request and intergovernmental agreements during its weekly business session this morning. The Board will open the meeting with a proclamation declaring May 4th to be "Sanctity of Life and Respect for Life Day." Josephine County Right to Life will hold its annual public protest of the Roe v. Wade decision on Sunday. Under Administrative Actions, the Commissioners will consider grant agreements with the Mobile Integrative Navigation Team (MINT), Max's Mission and the HIV Alliance. Also on the agenda is a Community Justice Vehicle Purchase Request. In other business, the Board will decide whether to renew intergovernmental pacts with the Oregon Department of Human Services and Oregon Youth Authority. Requests and Comments from Citizens allows participants to address the Board for up to three minutes on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Today's public meeting starts at 10 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.