Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a female motorist after she nearly struck a patrol vehicle while driving recklessly in the north part of the city this past weekend. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a vehicle driven by the 32-year-old woman in the parking lot of Motel 6 off NE 6th Street on Saturday at 4:35 p.m.. Police said they stopped the woman after she "burned out" of the driveway at the Lucky Duck tavern and nearly hit a patrol vehicle along with another vehicle. They said she made two dangerous lane changes and did not have a driver's license, proof of insurance or license plates. The woman was described as "irate." The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Reckless Driving and she was cited for the traffic violations. She was also warned for Failure to Yield Prior to Entering a Roadway. A verbal disturbance occurred when the woman's husband arrived on scene. The vehicle was left at Motel 6.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested three motorists for impaired driving over the weekend in the Grants Pass area. According to OSP, the first incident occurred on Saturday at 12:09 a.m. when state troopers pulled over a Dodge Ram pickup driven by a 32-year-old Grants Pass man on Medart Lane between Kellenbeck Avenue and Willow Lane. Troopers said they stopped the man for multiple traffic violations and he displayed multiple signs of impairment. After performing poorly in field sobriety tests, the man was taken to the Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was exactly twice the legal driving limit. The second incident happened on Saturday at 4:36 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Dodge Ram pickup driven by another 32-year-old Grants Pass man near milepost 4 of Williams Highway. Upon contact with the driver, signs of impairment were observed and the man was taken to the Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was just over the legal driving limit. The third incident took place on Sunday at 7:13 p.m. when troopers responded to a driving complaint near milepost 55 of Interstate 5. Troopers located the Landrover Ranger, stopped it and said the 31-year-old Vacaville, California, man showed signs of impairment. He performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was nearly twice the legal driving limit. All three men were charged with DUII and Reckless Driving.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District cited a property owner for an illegal open burn over the weekend. On Saturday at 8:07 p.m., IVFD crews were dispatched to the reported open burn on White Schoolhouse Road. The illegal blaze was quickly extinguished. IVFD officials said open burning is never allowed at night and the property owner was cited for that as well as illegal items in the fire. Officials said Illinois Valley residents should go online to "ivfire.com" to obtain a burn permit during the daytime hours or stop by the IVFD station at 681 Caves Highway in Cave Junction to fill out a form for a burn permit. They are free.

 

A Wolf Creek man has been arrested and lodged in the Douglas County Jail on a number of charges including kidnapping after an incident in the Glendale area. Last Thursday shortly after 1 p.m., 9-1-1 dispatchers in Douglas County received a call from a man who said his mother had been taken against her will. The victim was able to send information to her son, which he relayed to law enforcement. Deputies learned the male suspect -- 35-year-old Richard Goodin of Wolf Creek -- was in a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup which had been reported stolen earlier in the day. During the investigation, the victim was able to get away and called 9-1-1 which allowed deputies to get an approximate location of the suspect. Deputies converged on the area, located Goodin and placed him into custody without further incident. Douglas County Sheriff's Lieutenant Brad O'Dell said the unidentified victim was located and taken to safety. Richard Goodin was lodged at the jail in Roseburg for suspicion of 2nd-Degree Kidnapping, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine.

 

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a man for domestic violence following a weekend incident at a local trailer park. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 34-year-old man at Royal Trailer Park on SW Lewis Avenue on Friday shortly before midnight. Police said the incident started as a verbal altercation between the suspect and his wife. The man told officers his wife struck him and he attempted to pin her down. The man advised his wife then bit him and stabbed him with a pen near his eye. However, the wife stated that her husband hit her and strangled her to the point where she could not breathe. She said she used the first object she could reach to get her husband off her as she feared she was going to lose consciousness. Upon arrival, officers documented redness and bruising around the woman's neck. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for suspicion of 4th-Degree Domestic Assault and Domestic Strangulation. He was being held without bail. GPPD contacted the Women's Crisis Support Team and the organization planned to perform a domestic violence assessment.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two men allegedly involved in the attempted weekend theft of hundreds of dollars' worth of merchandise from Walmart. The Police Department reports officers responded to the theft complaint at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Friday around 6:30 p.m.. Police said a 57-year-old man filled a tote with nearly $1,200 worth of items and walked past all points of sale at Walmart. They said the man fled when confronted by loss prevention and left the stolen items behind. He was last seen climbing into a Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by another man. The license plate was seen. Following an investigation, officers tracked down the suspects at a home in the 900-block of SE Grandview Avenue. The 47-year-old driver was detained after he exited the back door of the home and the theft suspect was found inside the house. After both suspects admitted to being at Walmart, the older man was charged with Felony 1st-Degree Theft and the younger man was charged with Driving While Suspended. Both suspects were also trespassed from Walmart. Officers said the license plate on the Silverado belonged to a GMC Sierra. It was seized and the investigation was continuing.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man who tried to run away from a traffic stop after it was determined that he was wanted on a local felony warrant. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a vehicle driven by a 39-year-old man near the Duck Parking Lot at SE 7th and G streets on Friday. Police said they stopped the man for a traffic violation and he refused to identify himself. After stepping into traffic to get away, he was advised that he was not free to leave. The man continued to walk away and would not stop, but he surrendered after additional officers arrived to assist. Now they know why he attempted to flee. The male subject was found to be wanted on a Medford felony warrant for Unlawful Manufacture and Delivery of a Schedule 2 Controlled Substance. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrant. Charges of Disorderly Conduct and Escape were referred to the District Attorney's Office for consideration. He was being held without bail.

 

A Grants Pass man who is no stranger to the Josephine County Jail found himself there once again after an incident in the downtown area. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a complaint involving the 20-year-old man near the corner of NW 6th and D streets on Friday afternoon. Police said a motorist called 9-1-1 to report a young male subject walking in the middle of the street while pretending to be directing traffic. The caller said they were afraid the man was going to be hit by a vehicle. Officers arrived on scene, identified the suspect and placed him into custody. He was said to be highly intoxicated, but the Sobering Center refused to take him. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail due to his frequent criminal offenses.

 

The Grants Pass City Council will combine its bi-weekly workshop and regular meeting today. Wednesday night's regular meeting has been canceled. The City Council will open the workshop with discussions on public safety funding, a fire district and a food & beverage tax. Also on the workshop agenda is a motion from the Tourism Advisory Committee as well as an agenda review for future workshops and meetings. During a Special City Council Meeting, the Council will hold a public hearing on annexing property located at 2000 SW Bridge Street, and make appointments to the Bikeways & Walkways Committee and the Urban Tree Advisory Committee. The Consent Agenda contains a resolution renaming the Josephine City/County Solid Waste Agency and several motions that may be approved with a single vote. Following the meeting, Mayor Sarah Bristol will convene a Special Meeting in Executive Session. The closed-door session is being held for labor negotiations. Today's workshop begins at 11:45 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at Grants Pass City Hall, 101 NW A Street.