Local News

Video surveillance helped Grants Pass Police with a vandalism investigation that resulted in the arrest of a suspect on Wednesday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 42-year-old Jennifer Rachelle Perez at Taser point at Koi Sushi on NE Hillcrest Drive at 1:34 p.m. yesterday. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report she was visiting a friend staying at Motel 6 on Monday when Perez came to the room. The caller said she did not let the woman in because her friend was in the shower. She then observed the suspect standing next to her vehicle and later discovered her passenger-side tires had been slashed. The value of the tires on the Toyota Corolla were valued at about $250. The vandalism victim did not see the crime happen, but motel video surveillance captured a person matching Perez's description leaning down and slashing the tires. Probable cause was developed due to the video and officers starting looking for the suspect. They eventually located the suspect's vehicle parked next to the restaurant. Jennifer Perez was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for leaving a mound of trash on the side of the Parkway near an illegal campsite. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving 33-year-old Ryan Adam Burrows at Big 5 Sporting Goods around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Police said the Big 5 manager called 9-1-1 to report that Burrows had set up a campsite in some bushes between their building and the Parkway. The caller said they told the man he couldn't be there, but he refused to leave or clean up his site. Responding officers contacted Burrows and advised him that he was under arrest. Ryan Burrows was placed into custody, charged with Offensive Littering and lodged at the nearby adult jail facility. He was also trespassed from the business.

 

A Josephine County Community Corrections client was arrested yesterday for violating terms of his post-prison supervision while loitering at a local restaurant. Grants Pass Police contacted 30-year-old Dennis Alan Knight, Jr., at Abby's Pizza on NE Beacon Drive on Wednesday at about 2:40 p.m.. Officers said Knight had been reported as a suspicious person while they were on an unrelated call. They said he showed significant signs of impairment and was not capable of caring for himself, so he was placed into custody. Knight's corrections officer was contacted and requested his client be detained for being intoxicated while under his supervision. He was lodged in jail for Felony Parole Violation and was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Knight has been arrested five times for violating his parole since April 2023.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for traffic and probation violations this week after his corrections officer observed him unlawfully driving a motor vehicle. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 34-year-old Cody Eugene McQuilliams on Tuesday afternoon after his corrections officer pulled him over in the 300-block of NE C Street. Police said McQuilliams was stopped because his driving privileges had been suspended and he had no emergent reason to be driving on a public roadway. The suspect admitted that he knew he was not allowed to drive. Cody McQuilliams was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Driving While Suspended and the resulting Probation Violation related to a past arrest for Menacing. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a woman on a local warrant while investigating a drug complaint near the high school yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle with individuals using drugs in the area of NE 10th and Madrone streets at about 2:50 p.m. yesterday. Police said they contacted 32-year-old Melia Lei Mitchell and a man identified as "Ricky Lane" in the white sedan with tinted windows. They placed Mitchell into custody when they discovered she was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for 2nd-Degree Theft. Melia Mitchell was lodged at the Josephine County Jail. There was no further mention of drug use in the report.

 

Grants Pass Police made two arrests during city park patrol checks in one day this week -- one for a probation violation and the other for outstanding warrants. The Police Department reports the first incident occurred on Tuesday morning when officers arrested 24-year-old Cody Allen Pickle at Morrison Centennial Park. Police said Pickle was observed with a warming fire and he was cited for Burning Rubbish. His corrections officer was contacted and requested his client be placed on a detainer. Pickle was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Probation Violation related to arrests for Theft, Criminal Mischief and Criminal Trespass. The second incident happened on Tuesday afternoon when officers arrested 29-year-old Kraig Dean Toothman at Riverside Park. Police said they observed Toothman walking toward the tent area of the park west of Caveman Bridge. They knew he was wanted on two Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court for Escape and Criminal Trespass. He was placed into custody and lodged at the adult jail facility.

 

Two related crashes on Interstate 5 in northern Josephine County yesterday resulted in a citation for one motorist. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the first crash in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 78 at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Troopers said 61-year-old Daniel Christonson of Azalea was driving a Toyota RAV-4 and he stated 30-year-old Rosamaria Reyes of Wolf Creek lost control of the Dodge Journey she was driving and slid into his vehicle, causing him to veer off the freeway and into a tree. Neither driver was injured. Reyes told OSP that her vehicle began to drive "funny," so she maneuvered to the I-5 shoulder. Neither vehicle showed signs of contact, so no citations were issued. While multiple vehicles were stopped at the crash scene, a Kia Forte driven by 36-year-old Kevin De Jesus of Grants Pass lost control and slid in between vehicles on the shoulder, impacted the sideslope and rolled over. None of the vehicles already on the shoulder were hit by the Kia and the driver was not injured. Following an investigation, De Jesus was cited for Failing to Drive Within Lane. The Toyota and the Kia were towed to Grants Pass.

 

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is still accepting applications for its 2024 Citizens' Academy, but time is quickly running out. The Sheriff's Office is looking for citizens and community leaders to apply for the academy that will start toward the end of this month. The due date for applications is Friday. Attendees will be notified of their acceptance by February 9th. The Citizens' Academy topics include a presentation from Sheriff Nate Sickler and a tour of the Jackson County Jail. The classes start on February 20th and run through May 14th. The classes will be held on Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m., with a couple of Saturday mid-morning hands-on classes included. Regular attendance is mandatory to remain the academy as there are limited openings. Attendees must be over the age of 18 and be able to pass a criminal background check. Previous or current involvement with the community is highly encouraged. You can download an application from "jacksoncountyor.gov." Applications can then be dropped off at the Sheriff's Office at 5179 Crater Lake Highway or e-mailed to "pinihr@jacksoncountyor.gov" before the deadline.

 

A fiery wreck on Redwood Highway near O'Brien claimed the life of a motorist yesterday. On Wednesday afternoon, the Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response, Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash near milepost 36 of US Highway 199. Few details about the incident were disclosed, but IVFD officials confirmed one person died of severe injuries in the accident. The 9-1-1 Dispatch Center reported the driver was trapped inside the burning vehicle. The Oregon Department of Transportation was brought in for traffic control as the highway was completely shut down until it reopened to a single lane at 1:57 p.m.. OSP was completing the investigation and we are still awaiting a press release with more details on the fatal crash.