Local News

Grants Pass Police lodged a WinCo theft suspect in jail after he was caught stealing alcohol.

Officers were dispatched to the 231 NE Terry Lane grocer following a report from loss prevention Sunday at 1:59 p.m. A suspect was in custody after he attempted to steal an alcoholic beverage by concealing it in his sweatshirt's front pocket.

He proceeded to walk out of the store past all points of sale, but was stopped by loss prevention. He resisted being taken into custody and was handcuffed before being detained.

Officers arrived and identified the suspect as Michael Kachmer. He was trespassed from the WinCo, and taken into custody. Law enforcement transported him to the Josephine County Jail where he was then lodged on a Third Degree Theft charge.

 

Two pellets were shot through a neighbor's window, leading to a Grants Pass Police response and the arrest of one man Sunday.

Dispatch was alerted to the incident around 12:53 a.m. in the 700 block of SW H Street. A report came in of a neighbor shooting two holes in a garage window. No one was injured, and the caller believed the shots were intentional.

Officers arrived at the suspect's garage, where he was reportedly inside. Announcements were made from law enforcement, and the suspect complied, exiting the premises.

Officers identified the suspect as Jonathan Scudder, and determined he had caused approximately $500 in damages. He was arrested and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree.

 

Grants Pass Police lodged a theft suspect after he was detained by The Josephine County Sheriff's Office.

A call to 911 Saturday around 2:56 a.m. reported a man had stolen one case of beer and two cases of twisted teas from the ARCO at 190 NE Terry Lane about two minutes prior. The merchandise was valued at about $80. The suspect fled the scene east on the Grants Pass Parkway with a female passenger in what appeared to by a silver Chevy Silverado.

The complainant wished to press charges for theft and trespass. The suspect was then detained by Sheriff's Office deputies. A Grants Pass Police officer met with deputies at the scene and placed the suspect, Dedrick Cook-Bey, in custody.

He was transported to the Adult Jail Facility and lodged for a charge of Third Degree Theft.

 

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives are investigating a domestic violence homicide that occurred at a residence in rural Rogue River. The suspect is in custody. Dispatch received a call Saturday at 12:35 from a man saying he had shot a woman during a domestic violence altercation. JCSO deputies responded to the residence in the 1900 block of Sykes Creek Road and took the suspect into custody without incident. Next-of-kin has been notified. The victim and the suspect were in a domestic relationship. The suspect is charged with second-degree murder, and was cleared for confinement at a local hospital before being lodged in the Jackson County Jail. Oregon State Police, Medford Police Department, Ashland Police Department, and the Jackson County Major Assault Death Investigation Unit responded to assist. The OSP Forensics Lab processed the crime scene.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District was dispatched to three traffic incidents over the weekend.

Starting Friday at 1:37 p.m., IVFD joined Oregon State Police and American Medical Response in response to a three-vehicle collision in the 24,000 block of Redwood Highway in Kerby. No individuals required transportation from the scene. Traffic management was provided until the vehicles were towed from the scene.

Saturday at 6:59 p.m., IVFD and AMR, along with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, were alerted to a single-vehicle rollover accident.

Upon arrival to the 7900 block of Deer Creek Road in Selma, it was determined that one individual had self-extricated from the vehicle. The driver was assessed by AMR personnel and declined transport. The scene was transferred to the Sheriff's Department for further investigation.

Lastly, IVFD reported to the scene of an overturned vehicle at the 9300 block of Holland Loop Road in Cave Junction.

The traffic accident occurred Sunday at 8:48 p.m. No individuals were found in association with the vehicle, which was marked, and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office was apprised of the situation.

 

A 75-year-old woman reported missing in the Wimer area was located safe Sunday morning after an extensive two-day search involving numerous local, state, federal, and volunteer resources. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) received a report of a missing 75-year-old woman who was last known to be driving in the Wimer area in rural Rogue River Saturday around 11 a.m. JCSO Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel immediately began searching with assistance from the Oregon State Police providing aircraft support. Throughout the day, JCSO worked closely with Evans Valley Fire District 6, who coordinated and conducted search operations in the rugged terrain. As the search continued into Sunday, the California and Oregon Regional Search and Rescue task force activated additional search resources from across the region.

 

Oregon State Police cited a woman following a traffic stop for Possession of Methamphetamine.

Thursday at 9:58 p.m., troopers initiated a traffic stop on the driver of a white Chevy Malibu. Traffic violations were observed, and upon contacting Patricia Geib, 38, of Antelope, drug paraphernalia was visible inside her vehicle.

A substance present on the paraphernalia was field tested. Results came back positive for the presence of meth, so troopers cited Geib to appear in court for Meth Possession.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's office received word of a man blocking work trucks Thursday in the 6900 block of Applegate Road.

A call to 911 from a worker with Freddie Mac reported the suspect blocking work trucks from entering the property and texting the worker, threatening to sue. Law enforcement responded to the scene and contacted the suspect, Eugene Thrash, around 10:40 a.m.

Deputies charged Thrash with Second Degree Trespass and Menacing, and proceeded to taken him into custody. He was lodged in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility.

 

Grants Pass Police lodged two suspects in separate cases at Resting Sites 6 South and 7.

Thursday morning at 9:19, Robert Cox was observed by an officer who recognized him from a previous contact. He was riding an electric scooter west on NE A Street towards NE 6th Street.

Upon contact in the 704 NW 6th Street site, it was found Cox was out of compliance with his annual sex offender registration, having last been contacted in January 2023. He was taken into custody by the officer and transported to the Josephine County Jail.

Cox was lodged on a charge of Misdemeanor Failure to Report as a Sex Offender, but was later released due to a lack of resources at the jail facility.

That same day, around 1:11 p.m., law enforcement observed Larry Knight in the 712 NE 7th Street site. He had been previously trespassed from the location, and was arrested for said trespassing June 10th. He had returned to the site and had set up a tent with numerous umbrellas.

Officers contacted Knight, who did not have a lawful reason to be there, and arrested him for Second Degree Criminal Trespass. An additional 180 day exclusion order was issued, and he was taken to jail for lodging without further incident. He was also released due to a lack of jail resources.