Local News

A man walking around on F Street screaming at others and throwing his scooter was arrested by Grants Pass Police Saturday.

The suspect was reported to dispatch around 5:14 p.m. He claimed to have a knife, but the 911 caller didn't see one. It was reported the suspect threw his scooter into traffic at one point, and was described as wearing a leather hat, white shirt, gray pants, a backpack, and having a long gray beard.

Officers were dispatched and located the suspect. He was identified as Jon Coldwate, and advised he had warrants and wasn't free to leave. He fled on foot, but was quickly captured.

Coldwate's warrants out of the Ashland Police Department and Oregon Parole Board charged him with First Degree Sex Abuse, and the Unlawful Delivery and Possession of Marijuana. Officers arrested Coldwate and transported him to the Josephine County Jail with an additional charge of Third Degree Escape.

He was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for medical clearance, then lodged in jail.

 

Firefighters have extended mop-up operations 50 to 100 feet into the burned area along the West Fork Evans Creek Fire, increasing containment to 35% following another night of suppression work. According to the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District, with firelines continuing to hold around the entire perimeter, crews are building on that progress and preparing to push mop-up efforts as deep as 150 feet into the fire's interior today. The fire remains at 283 acres. Overnight crews continued locating and extinguishing areas of heat along the perimeter while also backhauling equipment and replenishing supplies to prepare for the incoming day shift. With continued progress and reduced fire activity, staffing is being adjusted to concentrate more hand crews and resources during daytime operations, allowing for a gradual reduction in overnight staffing while maintaining an effective suppression response. Today's resources include 16 20-person hand crews, one eight-person hand crew, 10 Type 6 engines, 10 water tenders and one dozer, supported by three task force leaders, six heavy equipment bosses, four additional modules and three falling modules. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity continue to provide favorable conditions for suppression efforts, helping limit fire activity and reducing the potential for further spread.

 

Mop-up operations on the West Fork Evans Creek Fire now extend 35 to 60 feet into the burned area along the entire perimeter as firefighters continue working to secure the fire. According to the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District, containment increased to approximately 30% Sunday, with cooler temperatures, minimal winds, and reduced fire activity allowing crews to work deeper into the fire's interior while limiting the potential for further spread. Mop-up depths vary depending on terrain, fuel concentrations and accessibility. Crews are working to safely locate and extinguish areas of heat while securing established firelines. With ground operations progressing well, aircraft were not needed for suppression efforts Sunday. The fire is now mapped at 283 acres following an overnight drone flight. Resources assigned include nine 20-person hand crews, 10 Type 6 engines and six water tenders, supported by three task force leaders and three heavy equipment bosses.

 

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Kevin Peer will present an evening of films and behind-the-scenes stories Sunday, November 1st, at the Fruitdale Grange.

The evening will feature two films Peer made for National Geographic EXPLORER, The Pigeon Game, and Masterpieces in Chalk, along with his more recent film, Pristine Waters. After each film he will answer audience questions and share stories of adventure and misadventure related to its making.

The event is a fundraiser for the Williams Community Forest Project, a nonprofit organization working to protect the legacy forests, clear waters, and natural ecosystems of the Williams Valley through science-informed education, advocacy, and community engagement.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with the film program running from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Peer's films have received more than 40 national and international film festival honors, including two national Emmy nominations.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies are searching for a runaway teen. Dameian Ray ran away from his residence in the Murphy area on October 15th around 07:26 p.m. He's a 15-year-old, 5'11" Caucasian male with light brown hair, brown eyes, and weighing 120 pounds. He was wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans, black hat, and sandals. If you have any information, please contact Sheriff's Office at 541-474-5123, and reference Case #26-28405.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies lodged two suspects found in other people's homes Thursday, one for a strangulation warrant, and the other for trespassing.

The first suspect, Wayne Baker, was believed to be in a home in the 100 block of Sherier Road around 9:36 a.m. While having received permission from the property owner to be inside, deputies found Baker was wanted for Strangulation.

He was detained, and taken into custody without incident. Deputies lodged Baker on his warrant, then released him on bench probation.

That night around 7:13 p.m., a call to 911 reported issues with a trespasser at a property in the 2,400 block of Hamilton Lane. After multiple disconnections from the caller, it was learned the suspect was found inside the property when the caller returned home. He was told to leave, and it was believed he was outside in a camper.

Deputies arrived and contacted Aaron Moran. He had been previously trespassed from the residence, and was arrested for First Degree Trespass. Deputies lodged Moran without further incident in the Adult Jail Facility.

 

Officers apprehended a man excluded from the downtown area following a chase that ended in a produced Taser.

The suspect, later identified as Gregory Butler, was seen sleeping in the doorway of a business at the corner of SE I Street and SE 8th Street Thursday around 9:19 a.m. He had been previously excluded from the area for 30 days, and was advised he was under arrest by Grants Pass Police.

Butler began running eastbound and was located a few blocks away on SE J Street. He was stopped at Taser point and complied with officer commands. Butler was then taken into custody for Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree and Third Degree Escape.

His parole officer was notified, and a detainer was added to Butler's charges. Following transport to jail, he was subsequently lodged, and issued a 90-Day Exclusion from downtown.

 

Law enforcement transported and lodged a man in jail found with a Walmart shopping cart full of his personal belongings.

He was contacted behind the green power box on the NE Terry Lane entrance of WinCo with a shopping cart from the 135 NE Terry Lane store Thursday morning. Officers called Walmart, and staff wished to pursue criminal charges for the theft of the $330 cart.

The suspect, Brandon Ginger, was secured and taken into custody at 10:31 a.m., but he refused a consent search. While enroute to the jail, he was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia, leading to the further search and location of residue that tested positive for meth.

Ginger possessed other controlled substances located by jail deputies upon arrival, which produced a positive result for fentanyl. Ginger was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for charges of Second Degree Theft, and Possession of both Fentanyl and Meth. He was also trespassed from the Walmart.

 

An officer with Grants Pass Police identified a man wanted for a Weapon Use warrant Thursday.

The suspect was observed outside the North Safeway on SE 8th Street by the officer. It was determined the suspect, identified as Damien Clark, had a valid and serviceable felony warrant for his arrest out of the Oregon Parole Board. He ran from law enforcement around 1:09 p.m., before being taken to the ground.

He actively resisted police, but was soon secured in handcuffs and taken into custody. The officer observed a glass pipe with a white powdery substance poking out of Clark's right pants pocket. The substance was field tested and returned presumptive positive for methamphetamine.

Law enforcement issued Clark a 30-Day Downtown Exclusion Order, and his bag was logged for safekeeping. He was lodged in jail for his warrant, plus charges of Meth Possession, Third Degree Escape, and Resisting Arrest.