Local News

A Rogue River woman escaped injury when she swerved her vehicle to miss a deer on Williams Highway near Provolt. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle rollover crash near milepost 11 of Highway 238 on Friday around 10:40 p.m.. Troopers said the 30-year-old motorist was driving a Toyota Prius east when she swerved to avoid hitting a deer on the highway and rolled down an embankment. According to OSP, the woman was not hurt. However, her vehicle was damaged and hauled into Grants Pass by Oregon Towing.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass motorist for extremely impaired driving during a weekend traffic stop in the downtown area. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Dodge Ram 1500 driven by a 48-year-old man near the corner of SE 8th and M streets on Saturday at 4:55 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped the pickup after observing multiple traffic violations and the driver displayed multiple signs of impairment. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests, so he was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was more than three times the legal driving limit. The suspect was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving before being lodged at the Sobering Center. His pickup was towed to a local impound yard.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing some sound equipment from a downtown restaurant over the weekend. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the incident at The Twisted Cork on SW 6th Street on Saturday at 3:44 p.m.. Police said a 33-year-old male subject stole an XM radio module from the restaurant that was valued at approximately $110. They said the restaurant owner confronted the man about the theft and the man made some verbal threats before fleeing on foot. The suspect was located near US Bank several minutes later as the owner followed him while on the phone with 9-1-1. The XM radio was not located as it was likely thrown by the suspect while he was running away. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a chronic shoplifter after she attempted to steal items from an east-side supermarket over the weekend. The Police Department reports officers responded to a theft complaint at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane on Saturday at about 3:40 p.m.. Police said a 50-year-old female subject was detained by WinCo loss prevention after she attempted to steal more than $88 in goods. They said she brought an old receipt into the store, filled her cart with items and exited the business by passing all points of sale without paying. According to the report, the woman had committed additional thefts at WinCo and had signed a trespass letter that was photographed into evidence. A consent search of the suspect found her to be in possession of 3.79 grams of methamphetamine that was factory-sealed in a Scooby Doo baggie. It was seized for destruction. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unlawful Possession of Meth, 3rd-Degree Theft and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed an Illinois Valley man for an alleged weekend incident of domestic violence near Selma. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 27-year-old male subject for the domestic disturbance in the 7900-block of Deer Creek Road on Friday night. Deputies said a male juvenile called 9-1-1 from that address and told dispatchers that his father was really drunk and his stepfather was really freaked out after his father hit his mother in the face. The boy advised his stepfather and other family members kept the involved parties separated while trying to diffuse the situation. According to the report, a female victim had blood on her face and was bleeding heavily from her head. She was evaluated by medics at the scene, but declined transport to the hospital. The woman reportedly claimed that she fell and hit her head and denied that it was a result of being attacked by her ex-husband. The suspect was placed into custody and transported to the Josephine County Jail for suspicion of Physical Harassment. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on two outstanding warrants and probable cause of other crimes during a Wilderville area traffic stop late last week. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a blue Toyota Celica driven by a 56-year-old man on Redwood Highway near Little Cheyenne Trail around midday Friday. Deputies said they spotted the driver whom they knew was wanted on two Josephine County felony warrants for charges including two counts of Felony Attempt to Elude Police, Reckless Driving and Methamphetamine Possession. Further investigation revealed that the man was suspected for another criminal incident that was under investigation. The suspect was placed into custody and transported to Grants Pass where he was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrants plus felony charges of 1st-Degree Theft and 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief. His car was parked and secured at his request.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a shoplifter for felony robbery late last week after he fought with a supermarket employee who tried to detain him for petty theft. The Police Department reports officers responded to a shoplifting complaint at WinCo Foods on NE Terry Lane on Friday afternoon. Police said the 31-year-old male subject stole just over $28 worth of items from WinCo by putting them in a shopping cart and pushing it past all points of sale without paying. They said he was confronted outside the store by loss prevention and he used physical force against an employee in an attempt to retain the items. The suspect then ran to his truck in the WinCo parking lot where he was arrested by responding officers. Surveillance footage was reviewed, which confirmed the man had scuffled with the worker. The stolen items were recovered. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a felony charges of 3rd-Degree Robbery and a misdemeanor charge of 3rd-Degree Theft. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon Department of Forestry extinguished a wildfire that erupted yesterday in the Hog Creek area west of Merlin. ODF Southwest and Rural Metro Fire Department were dispatched to the reported blaze northeast of Hog Creek Boat Landing on Sunday afternoon. ODF officials said arriving units estimated the fire to be five acres in size. Crews quickly lined 75% of the fire, slowing most of the growth in 90-degree heat. There were no evacuations ordered and no structures were threatened. At 7:40 p.m., officials said the fire was stopped at 5.71 acres, with 100% of the blaze lined and 20% of it mopped up. Firefighters remained engaged with the fire overnight to ensure it was completely extinguished. According to ODF, the cause of the fire remains under investigation. As temperatures continue to heat up this spring, the risk of wildfires starting and spreading will naturally increase as well. Please be aware of these heightened chances and help ODF keep Southern Oregon wildfire-free.

 

A motorist escaped injury when their vehicle struck a bear on Redwood Highway south of Cave Junction.. The Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and Oregon State Police were dispatched to the single-vehicle crash near milepost 32 of US Highway 199 on Friday at 10:39 p.m.. IVFD officials said arriving units found a vehicle into a guardrail and a bear that was hit by the truck was declared deceased. The single occupant of the vehicle was not injured. Jerry's Towing hauled the damaged vehicle to Cave Junction. OSP conducted the interview of the driver and removed the deceased bear from the highway. Troopers were assisted by the Oregon Department of Transportation.