KAJO 99.7FM - News Story

ODF Crews Made Excellent Progress on 3 Lightning Fires in Josephine County

The Oregon Department of Forestry made excellent progress overnight on three fires in Josephine County that were ignited by lightning late yesterday. ODF reports its resources were able to completely line and mop-up the Reeves Creek Fire northeast of Kerby by 11 p.m. Thursday, holding it to just under 1/4-acre. The Galice Road Fire located near Ennis Riffle County Park was 100% lined this morning. Firefighters worked through the night and -- despite limited access, tough terrain and limited water -- were able to mop up 60% of the fire. Additional crews were hiking in and aircraft will be used to deliver water to the 1/3-acre blaze. The Chapman Creek Fire located southeast of Cave Junction was also completely lined and 75% mopped up this morning at two acres. Two additional engines and one hand crew were ordered for today. Aircraft will be available if needed. A total of 26 lightning strikes were recorded across ODF-protected lands in Josephine and Jackson counties on Thursday. All fires will be investigated to confirm lightning as the cause. Reconnaissance flights over strike areas will continue today and the days to follow while ODF Detection Center staff will continue to scan southwest Oregon for fire or smoke. Lightning-caused fires can smolder for days before showing any signs. Slight chances of thunderstorms remain the forecast through the weekend and ODF will be ready for any new reports of fire. Lightning-caused fires can't be prevented, but human-caused fires can. Please follow all local fire season restrictions.

Posted on 8/1/25 11:54AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man for Trying to Take His Mother's Vehicle from Her by Force

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for attempting to take his mother's vehicle from her by force at a city park late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 32-year-old Kody Owen Lewis for the incident at Riverside Park on Thursday at 4:49 p.m.. Police said they received a call from a woman who reported that her son beat her up while trying to take possession of her truck. The caller said she fought back and stopped her son, but he stole her phone and fled the park on foot. According to the report, Lewis injured his mother in the incident -- but it was not clear in the report if she sought medical treatment. Officers searched the downtown area, located Lewis in the 100-block of NE E Street and placed him into custody at Taser point. K-9 "Kick" was also deployed in order to gain the suspect's compliance. Lewis was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 3rd-Degree Robbery, Attempted Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 8/1/25 11:52AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Jailed Felon for Stealing Vehicle & Possessing Firearm near O'Brien

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a felon for stealing a vehicle and possessing a firearm in the southern Illinois Valley yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 57-year-old Paul Cleveland Cooper in the 1100-block of Naue Way in O'Brien on Thursday at 2:44 p.m.. Few details about the incident were available, but deputies said Cooper was found to be in possession of a Nissan that had been reported stolen out of Crescent City, California, as well as a North American Arms .22-caliber revolver. Deputies contacted the California Highway Patrol to report the recovery of the stolen vehicle and seized the firearm as evidence. As a convicted felon, Cooper is prohibited from possessing any guns. The stolen vehicle was towed to Cave Junction and the registered owner was notified. Cooper was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 8/1/25 11:50AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Pair for Violent Disturbances at NW 5th Street Resting Site

Grants Pass Police arrested two people involved in a violent disturbance at a downtown resting site late last night. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident at the NW 5th Street homeless encampment on Thursday around 11 p.m.. Police said 33-year-old Derek Miguel Withrow was upset with multiple people standing outside his tent, so he initiated a violent tirade of verbal insults and tumultuous behavior, making threats to subjects in the resting site and initiating physical contact with those who tried to compel him to leave the area. Withrow was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Physical Harassment and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail. A short time later, 18-year-old Tyra Lynn Ligons became upset at Withrow's arrest and was highly disruptive. She threw items and slammed the doors on porta-potties repeatedly to display her displeasure. She stood in the center of NW A Street and screamed several times and then went back into the site to confront a woman. She yelled at the woman, pushed her and punched her in the face. Ligons was placed into custody and also lodged in jail for Physical Harassment and Disorderly Conduct. She was also being held without bail.

Posted on 8/1/25 11:49AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Snared Out-of-Compliance Sex Offender after Redwood Highway Stop in CJ

The Oregon State Police arrested an out-of-compliance sex offender on Thursday during a traffic stop on Redwood Highway in Cave Junction. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Toyota 4-Runner driven by 42-year-old Michael Timothy Bellah near milepost 27 of US Highway 199 at 3:17 p.m. yesterday. Troopers said they stopped Bellah for traffic violations and discovered that he was an out-of-compliance sex offender. They said Bellah's corrections officer issued a detainer on him for violating his registry conditions and he was taken into custody. Bellah was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Failure to Report as a Sex Offender and Felony Parole Violation. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 8/1/25 11:46AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Arrested Murphy Area Woman for Making False Calls to Dispatchers

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman for monopolizing its Dispatch Center with false reports of a shooting near Murphy early yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to the incident in the 900-block of Hyde Park Road on Thursday around 3:40 p.m.. Deputies said 61-year-old Lisa Rae Wilson first called 9-1-1 to report a shooting with someone down by a tree near her residence. She called back to report two people hugging each other and that both had been shot. She then called back a third time to report that it was mostly the tree that had been shot and that people wearing camouflage clothing were in her yard. According to the report, Wilson made numerous calls to the Sheriff's Office on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Upon arrival, deputies were forced to cut the lock on Wilson's gate before placing her into custody. She was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Misuse of 9-1-1 and Initiating a False Police Report. She was being held without bail.

Posted on 8/1/25 11:44AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Nabbed Motorist for Drugged Driving after US Highway 199 Stop in SW GP

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for drugged driving last night after receiving a traffic complaint on Redwood Highway in southwest Grants Pass. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven by 22-year-old Jordan Daniel Bedolla-Tinajero near milepost 2 of US Highway 199 on Thursday at 10 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Bedolla-Tinajero for several traffic violations and he displayed signs of impairment. The suspect refused to participate in field sobriety tests, so a search warrant was obtained and he was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented impairment by narcotics. Bedolla-Tinajero was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Controlled Substances and Reckless Driving. He was being held without bail and his pickup was impounded.

Posted on 8/1/25 11:43AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Assisted Troopers by Arresting Motorist for DUII on Redwood Highway

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office assisted the Oregon State Police by arresting a motorist for impaired driving on Redwood Highway in the Selma area last night. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies and state troopers pulled over a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Erica Aquilina Reyes-Vasquez on US Highway 199 just south of Hayes Hill on Thursday around 6:45 p.m.. Deputies reported that troopers observed Reyes-Vasquez driving in the wrong lane and pushing other vehicles off the highway. They said she struck an ODOT sign before they were able to pull her over and pin her in with patrol vehicles. Reyes-Vasquez displayed signs of impairment, performed poorly in sobriety testing and was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw. Reyes-Vasquez was subsequently lodged in jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. She was being held without bail and her vehicle was impounded.

Posted on 8/1/25 11:41AM by Sam Marsh

Thunderstorm Activity Sparks 4 Small Fires in Josephine & Jackson Counties

Thunderstorm activity in southwest Oregon late yesterday ignited at least four fires that were kept small by firefighters assisted by precipitation from the storms. The Oregon Department of Forestry responded to at least three fires in Josephine County as a large thunderstorm cell rolled through late Thursday afternoon. In an 8:45 p.m. update, ODF reported the Galice Road Fire was located on a steep slope near Ennis Riffle. Firefighters knocked down the active blaze and had 70% of the perimeter lined at an estimated 1/4-acre. Resources also responded to the Reeves Creek Fire northeast of Kerby. Crews caught the fire at just under 1/4-acre and had it 95% lined by last night. Mop-up operations were expected to continue overnight. Firefighters made good progress on the Chapman Creek Fire located southeast of Cave Junction. Resources held containment and extinguished hot spots on the fire that was GPS-mapped at about two acres. One other lightning-sparked fire was reported in Jackson County near milepost 1 of Interstate 5. It was 5-feet by 5-feet in size and quickly extinguished. A reconnaissance flight was completed across all strike areas before sunset and no additional smoke or fires were found. ODF officials said recon missions over these areas will continue this morning.

Posted on 8/1/25 6:44AM by Sam Marsh

GP Area Woman Killed after Crashing on Jaynes Drive in the New Hope Area

A Grants Pass woman was killed this week when she crashed her vehicle in the New Hope area. On Wednesday evening, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the single-vehicle rollover wreck in the 1100-block of Jaynes Drive. Deputies said the initial investigation indicated the vehicle was traveling on Jaynes Drive toward New Hope Road when -- for an unknown reason -- it left the road, rolled over and came to rest on its driver's side. The driver -- 23-year-old Angelina Marie Odell -- was pronounced deceased at the scene. Next of kin have been notified. First responders extend their condolences to Odell's family and friends. They also express their appreciation to witnesses and neighbors for their assistance. Those affected by the traumatic incident are encouraged to reach out if they are struggling to process the tragic event.

Posted on 8/1/25 6:43AM by Sam Marsh

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