Local News

The National Weather Service has upgraded a Winter Storm Watch predicted for southwest Oregon and northwest California tomorrow to a Winter Storm Warning. The Winter Storm Warning is in effect for elevations above 2,500 feet on Saturday from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.. It includes Josephine, Jackson, eastern Douglas and eastern Curry counties in Oregon along with western Siskiyou County in California. Heavy snow is expected above 2,500 feet, with total accumulations of five to 10 inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 miles per hour are also expected. Affected areas include the foothills of the Cascade and Siskiyou mountains and the Kalmiopsis Wilderness as well as portions of Interstate 5 and Highways 62, 140 and 227. Travel could become very difficult with snow-covered roads and reduced visibility. Travel is strongly discouraged during the warning period because of dangerous driving conditions. If you must travel on Saturday, keep tire chains, a flashlight, batteries, food, water, medications and a fully-charged phone with you.

 

The National Weather Service has posted a Winter Storm Watch for southwest Oregon and northwest California for this weekend. The Winter Storm Watch -- which runs all day Saturday -- was issued for all locations above 2,500 feet in Josephine, Jackson, eastern Douglas and eastern Curry counties as well as western Siskiyou County near Yreka. Heavy snow is possible above 2,500 feet, with total accumulations of between two and 10 inches possible. In addition, west winds could gust up to 35 miles per hour. The Watch area includes Prospect and Butte Falls in Jackson County along with the Kalmiopsis Wilderness and foothills of the Cascade and Siskiyou mountains. Affected highways include Interstate 5 and Highways 62, 138 and 227. NWS officials said travel in these areas could be very difficult to impossible. Motorists who must travel are urged to stock an emergency kit with tire chains, a flashlight, batteries, blankets, food, water and medications. Plan now to avoid traveling during the storm. Do not take detours during winter storms. A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant snow accumulations that may create dangerous travel conditions.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for multiple felony-level crimes after he allegedly entered a woman's house, struck her in the face and stole her vehicle yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a reported motor vehicle theft at a home in the 1,000-block of Darneille Lane on Wednesday at about 7:15 a.m.. Police said 25-year-old Jordan Taylor Huggins broke into a house and hit a woman in the face before stealing her Mazda CX5. Responding officers located the suspect and attempted a traffic stop, but he refused to yield and tried to elude them. The law enforcement pursuit continued out to the Beaver Creek Trailer Park near Merlin and then back into Grants Pass on Interstate 5, with the Oregon State Police and Josephine County Sheriff's Office assisting. The chase ended on NW 6th Street near Manzanita Avenue after police flattened the vehicle's tires with spike strips. Jordan Huggins was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 1st-Degree Burglary, Physical Harassment, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Felony Attempt to Elude Police. He was being held without bail. The victim recovered her vehicle at Les Schwab where it had been towed for tire repairs.

 

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a woman last night for her disorderly behavior at a downtown convenience store and then biting a deputy at the Josephine County Jail. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the incident involving 34-year-old Marissa Elizabeth Winters at the 7-Eleven store on SW 6th Street on Wednesday shortly before 10 p.m.. Police said Winters was called in for yelling, cursing and threatening customers at the store. They said she refused to obey lawful commands and walked away from officers, throwing a Slurpee on the ground and exploding the contents on the street. She also walked into traffic and was nearly hit by a truck. Winters reportedly walked nearly two blocks before she was eventually placed into custody. During intake at the jail, she bit a deputy's leg but did not cause an injury. Marissa Winters was lodged in jail for Felony Assault on a Public Safety Officer, Disorderly Conduct, Escape and Offensive Littering. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a felon for violating his post-prison supervision last night after he harassed customers outside a downtown supermarket and was found to be in possession of dangerous narcotics. The Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing complaint at Safeway on SE 7th Street on Wednesday around 9:45 p.m.. Police said store employees called 9-1-1 and reported that 29-year-old Dustin Michael Fontana was trying to fight customers outside the main entrance. They said he was also reported to be "saying sexual things to minors." Officers rushed to the scene and detained Fontana, who told them he was in possession of methamphetamine. However, a field test determined the drug was actually a small amount of fentanyl. It was seized for destruction. Dustin Fontana was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass and the resulting Felony Parole Violation stemming from convictions for Physical Harassment and Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle as well as the drug violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a statewide felony warrant during a patrol check in the north part of the city early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers were patrolling the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel on NE 7th Street when they spotted a vehicle occupied by two people on Wednesday around 3:25 a.m.. Police said they contacted 53-year-old Larry Edward Roff and a woman identified as Amanda Gerken in the vehicle. They quickly discovered that Roff was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a past conviction for Delivery of Methamphetamine. Larry Roff was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for vandalizing a window at or near Riverside Park early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving 37-year-old Jacob Donald Farias at the park on Wednesday morning. Police said they developed probable cause that Farias had thrown a rock through a window in the vicinity of the park, possibly at a Mexican restaurant where he sought refuge while trying to elude law enforcement. They said he ignored commands to stop and entered the restaurant where he was placed into custody. Jacob Farias reportedly admitted to using a rock to break the window, which was valued at more than $1,000. He was booked into the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, Resisting Arrest, Escape and Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted five campers for ordinance violations that occurred in city parks yesterday. According to the Police Department, the first incident occurred at Riverside Park where Marylynn Humphrey was cited for Illegal Camping and Park Buffer Zone Violation. She was trespassed from the park for 30 days. Another female camper was warned for Buffer Zone Violation. The second incident happened at Tussing Park where Tyson Hutchinson, Austin Cecil, Shon Asbury and Raven Baysinger were all cited for Illegal Camping after they failed to remove their previously posted campsites. Asbury was also cited for Smoking Marijuana in a Park. All four were issued 30-day exclusions.

 

The Medford Police Department confirms that they're one month into investigating allegations that a former employee of Southern Oregon's largest hospital stole medication from patients, resulting in an untold number with "adverse" outcomes. In a Wednesday afternoon press release, MPD shared few other details and declined to verify explosive allegations reported by KOBI-5 News in Medford late last week that confidential sources said eight to 10 patients who were treated at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center may have died after an employee they identified as a nurse allegedly stole controlled substances -- specifically fentanyl -- and replaced it with non-sterile tap water that was then administered to patients. The Oregonian reports tap water may have led to patients' fatal infections, the sources were quoted as saying. Medford Police Lieutenant Geoff Kirkpatrick declined to comment on any of those allegations, including whether the "controlled substances" believed to have been stolen was fentanyl, the number of patients affected and whether any patients had died. Kirkpatrick said police began looking into what might have happened at the hospital after Asante contacted them with information about potential crimes. Kirkpatrick asked for the community's patience as police investigate. He said police have received "numerous calls" from community members asking if they or their family members were affected by the theft of medications. The hospital didn't respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Police, however, said the hospital "has informed MPD that they have identified the involved patients and have notified or are in the process of notifying them or their families."