Local News

A Gold Hill man was arrested on two outstanding felony warrants following a weekend traffic stop in north Grants Pass. The Oregon State Police reports troopers pulled over a Subaru Impreza driven by 37-year-old Kurtis Neil Knutson on NE Mead Street near 7th Street on Saturday at 10:23 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Knutson for a traffic violation and quickly discovered that he was wanted on two Jackson County felony warrants. He was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. His car was released to a friend. Jail records show Knutson posted $15,000 cash bail and was released on Sunday.

 

The Grants Pass Walmart was hit by multiple shoplifters yesterday with at least four people being arrested. The Police Department reports the first incident occurred on Monday at 8:22 a.m. when officers arrested 49-year-old Daniel Reese Wise, Jr. for stealing a shirt, meat and a gun case valued at just over $85. Wise reportedly removed the foam from the gun case and filled it with stolen items. He was lodged The second incident happened on Monday at 1:39 p.m. when officers arrested 25-year-old Haylee Raeanne Sumner and 22-year-old Dazlyn Rae Riggins for teaming up to fill a shopping cart full of items totaling more than $1,000 before exiting the store. Sumner's three children were with her during the attempted heist. The third incident took place on Monday at 2:25 p.m. when officers arrested 52-year-old Nancy Corrien Freitas for trying to steal more than $156 in items by "skip-scanning" them and leaving with the unpaid-for merchandise. Freitas was detained by loss prevention who provided police with evidence that she had skip-scanned items on two previous occasions, resulting in a loss of about $300.

 

The Oregon State Police detained a heavily impaired motorist and took him to the detox center before he had a chance to drive away early yesterday. According to OSP, troopers contacted 39-year-old David Aaron Xaros in the parking lot of the Burger King on Rogue River Highway on Monday at 10:15 a.m.. Troopers said Xaros appeared to be attempting to get into his Nissan Versa to drive. They observed multiple indicators of impairment and the man admitted to using drugs earlier in the day. David Xaros voluntarily agreed to go to the Grants Pass Sobering Center until the effects of the narcotics wore off. The Nissan was released to its owner.

 

A young Williams man was cited for driving too fast for the weather conditions after he crashed his vehicle on Highway 238 near Murphy early yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle rollover wreck on Williams Highway near Crystal Drive on Monday around 9 a.m.. Troopers said a 19-year-old man was driving a Toyota Prius west on the highway and traveling too fast for the foggy and icy conditions. They said he lost control of the car, left the roadway, struck a ditch, rolled and struck a power pole. The young motorist was not hurt, but the damaged car was towed into Grants Pass. Pacific Power crews responded to fix the damaged utility pole. Following the investigation, the motorist was cited for Violating the Basic Rule.

 

A Central Point motorcyclist was killed last weekend when he was struck by a vehicle on North Pacific Highway. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle crash on Highway 99 at its intersection with Elk Street in Jackson County on Saturday at about 2:40 p.m.. State troopers said a preliminary investigation indicated a Hyundai Elantra driven by 38-year-old Melissa Dolmage of Medford was stopped at the intersection when she turned left onto southbound Highway 99. The Hyundai entered the path of a northbound Harley Davidson motorcycle ridden by 69-year-old Kevin Norman of Central Point, causing a side-impact collision. Norman was declared deceased at the scene while Dolmage and a male infant child were not injured. According to OSP, Dolmage was cooperating with investigators. Highway 99 was impacted for approximately 2-1/2 hours during the investigation. OSP was assisted at the fatal crash scene by the Central Point Police Department, Medford Police Department and Oregon Department of Transportation.

 

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is renewing its request for information as to the whereabouts of a homicide suspect who killed a Grants Pass man last week. Detectives said Gauge Douglas James Main of Riddle is wanted in connection with the homicide of 20-year-old Devonte Lovell Clark of Grants Pass. Main was last known to be in the northern California area and a nationwide felony warrant has been issued for his arrest. On Monday, November 20th, shortly after 11:30 p.m., 9-1-1 dispatchers received information about a shooting which had taken place in the area of Main Street and East Third Avenue in Riddle. Deputies arrived on scene to find Clark deceased. A second victim -- 29-year-old Killian Mavity of Grants Pass -- suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Main fled the scene of the homicide after stealing a silver 2017 Honda Civic sedan bearing Oregon license plate "276 PAT," which has been recovered in California. Detectives said Main is to be considered armed and dangerous. Sheriff John Hanlin has officially enlisted the assistance of the United States Marshal's Fugitive Task Force in apprehending Main. Anyone with information which may lead to Main's arrest is urged to contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Office at (541)-440-4471 and reference Case #23-4651.

 

A weekend misdemeanor theft at the Grants Pass Walmart led to the felony arrest of a man for drug possession. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers responded to a shoplifting call at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Sunday at 11:26 a.m.. Police said 44-year-old Christopher Michael Owens intentionally passed all points of sale with just over $30 worth of Walmart merchandise. He was contacted while working on his vehicle with a small tool kit and ratchet he had stolen. That's when officers observed an open zip case with drug paraphernalia in plain view. Owens admitted to having a half-ounce of fentanyl and gave police consent to search the container and other similar zip containers. He was found to be in possession of approximately 26 grams of the deadly narcotic along with multiple tooters, a scale and packaging equipment. All were seized as evidence. Christopher Owens -- who also admitted to driving to Walmart with a suspended license -- was placed into custody. He was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of Fentanyl, 3rd-Degree Theft and Driving While Suspended plus the resulting Parole Violation stemming from convictions for Unlawful Use a Weapon, Felony Attempt to Elude Police and Felony Criminal Mischief.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for making a series of thefts at Home Depot this month -- including $275 worth of merchandise this past weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested 35-year-old Lee Raymond Baldyga at the home improvement store on NE Mill Street on Saturday afternoon. Police said Baldyga passed all points of sale with $274.97 worth of items and exited the store without paying. He was detained by loss prevention officers who advised they had video surveillance of the suspect stealing two lawn mowers on November 4th and 5th, with each valued at about $1,200. Upon contact with police, Baldyga admitted to the lawn mower thefts as well as to being in possession of more than five grams of methamphetamine. He was placed into custody and the meth was seized for destruction. A car battery he tried to steal was returned to the store. Lee Baldyga was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of Meth, two counts of Felony 1st-Degree Theft and one count of 2nd-Degree Theft. He was also trespassed from Home Depot.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a woman wanted on a statewide felony warrant during a weekend patrol check at a motel in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers contacted and arrested 28-year-old Chelsea Nicole Lenarz at Quality Inn on NE 6th Street at 2:35 a.m. Sunday. Police said they were on patrol when they spotted an unplated Chevrolet Suburban driven by Lenarz in the motel parking lot. She was contacted and found to have an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation related to a past felony drug conviction. After the Oregon State Parole Board warrant was confirmed, Chelsea Lenarz was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Her vehicle was parked and secured.