Local News

Three calls came in to dispatch regarding a woman going through a neighborhood screaming Wednesday afternoon.

One of the calls, coming in around 3:24 p.m., said the matter had been going on for an hour. The caller said they told the woman to leave the area after she screamed she was the Illuminati.

While holding a stick, the suspect continued walking in and out of the road and other resident's yards in the SE N Street neighborhood. The caller reported traffic was stopped due to the woman's behavior.

Officers were notified, and upon arrival, had to advise the suspect, Crystal Jenness, that she was under arrest three times. Despite this, she continued to walk away from law enforcement.

An additional unit arrived, and Jenness was taken into custody without incident. Officers lodged her in the Josephine County Jail for Second Degree Disorderly Conduct, and Third Degree Escape.

 

Officers with the Grants Pass Police Department were called out to the local WinCo for an "out of control" theft suspect Wednesday afternoon.

Dispatch received a call stating loss prevention at the 231 NE Terry Lane store had a man in their office that had stolen a beer. There was yelling and the sound of something hitting the wall heard in the background.

Officers arrived and contacted the suspect, Jonathon Schmidt, who was found to have three out-of-county warrants from Coos Bay, each with a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

Schmidt was taken into custody, and subsequently transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on the warrants.

 

Jackson County Emergency Management will conduct a Wireless Emergency Alert test today, November 6, at 2:00 p.m.

The test will target the Interstate 5 corridor from the California/ Oregon border to Exit 14 in Ashland. This exercise simulates a winter storm/Siskiyou Summit closure scenario to evaluate the County’s ability to deliver fast, geotargeted alerts to travelers and nearby communities ahead of severe weather.

Testing now helps ensure systems and procedures work smoothly before winter storms arrive. Travelers and residents in and around the test area may hear a loud, attention-getting alert tone emitted from their mobile devices.

The phone may vibrate, display a test message, and repeat the sound depending on device settings and wireless carrier processing. The WEA system is intentionally designed to be noticeable so that people are alerted even when driving, sleeping, or not actively using their phones.

WEA is a national public safety system that sends short, location-based alerts to modern cell phones. No sign-up is required, and your phone number is not used. Alerts are broadcast to compatible devices within the defined area.

 

The Grants Pass City Council approved water user rate adjustments for 2026, as well as both the purchase of real property, and a resolution making new job descriptions and amending classification plans Wednesday. Following a presentation, the council passed a motion 6-1, council president Victoria Marshall dissenting, that approved Scenario 2 for adjusting user rates to help support construction of the replacement Water Treatment Plant. This scenario would increase most utility rates by 1% per year for three years with a phase increase to the plant replacement fee from $13.50 to $16 over three years. The council's motion to purchase real property at 124 NW Midland Avenue passed unanimously, as did a motion to create the positions of Geographical Information Systems Supervisor and Water Distribution Supervisor, and to amend the classification plans. The council voted 6-1 approving the appointment of Tracy Decklebaum to the Urban Tree Advisory Committee, with Councilwoman Kathleen Krohn the lone dissenting vote. They then proceeded to approve all items on their consent agenda.

 

Grants Pass Police were notified of a man sleeping inside someone else's house Tuesday morning.

While the owner of the property in the 100 block of NE B Street was out of town, his neighbor next door called 911 at 9:11 a.m. to report the trespassing.

A transient had entered the home through the front door and was sleeping on the couch. The owner was notified and he wanted to pursue criminal charges.

Officers arrived and contacted the transient, identified as Jake Thompson. He was trespassed from the premises and taken into custody.

Thompson was lodged in the Josephine County Jail for First Degree Trespass, and a Parole Violation Detainer.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's Office deputies were alerted to shots fired at a residence Tuesday morning.

The caller told dispatch the suspect, Ryan Boheman, had just been shooting at her house in the 200 block of Stringer Gap Road. She said he had been driving back and forth and was harassing her friend who had just left him, and was staying with her.

Boheman had left in a black Ford Escort, and deputies were able to spike his tires on Demaray Drive. After contacting Boheman and canvasing the area, deputies found a pistol in his vehicle.

Also found in Boheman's possession were multiple loose live rounds, three magazines, and a shell casing in the vehicle. Deputies transported and lodged him in the Josephine County Jail for Menacing, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Reckless Endangering.

 

A woman reported a child to law enforcement, and the mother was later arrested on Child Neglect charges Tuesday afternoon.

The child was running around barefoot near the intersection of SE L and SE 8th Streets when the woman found them. They didn't appear to have any injuries.

The woman tried pounding on the doors of the child's and neighbor's homes, but there were no answers. The child's home had no vehicles in the driveway and the lights were on.

Officers arrived at the home and were able to contact Jade Denham, who had just woken up. She admitted to taking whippets earlier in the day and showed signs of recent use. She wasn't aware of where her child was.

Denham was taken into custody on two counts of Child Neglect, and lodged in the Josephine County Jail. Coordinating efforts were made with the child's grandmother and aunt to take custody of them.

 

Dispatch received multiple calls Tuesday evening regarding a man screaming and trying to pick fights with people.

The disturbance occurred in front of the Pints N Wine Pour House at 950 SW 6th Street. The suspect was displaying violent and tumultuous behavior before he left heading northbound on 6th Street.

One caller, an employee of the pour house, wished to have the suspect trespassed. Officers were able to locate the suspect behind the 7-11, and identified him as David Campbell.

Campbell was trespassed from the business, and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for Second Degree Disorderly Conduct.

 

A report of a man yelling at the public and passing traffic garnered a response from Grants Pass Police Tuesday morning.

A man reported to dispatch that the suspect was observed walking around SW 6th and SW G Streets, crossing the roadway, yelling to himself and traffic, and threatening people with physical violence.

Upon arrival, officers contacted the suspect, identified as Joshua Wilson. He denied recent drug or alcohol consumption, and was subsequently taken into custody.

Wilson was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for Second Degree Disorderly Conduct.