Local News

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 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.

 

Grants Pass Police lodged one and cited another Thursday afternoon after the two suspects refused to leave Parker's Place Village.

The manager of the 210 Redwood Highway location had told the suspects to vacate the premises, and called 911 at 3:35 p.m. requesting the two be trespassed. They were advised that if they did not leave, law enforcement would take action.

Upon arrival of officers, the suspects were contacted and detained. One of the suspects was released with a citation for Second Degree Criminal Trespass. Probable cause was established for the same charge against the second suspect, Skyler Terry.

He resisted arrest, was placed in a WRAP device, and then taken into custody after medical clearance. He was lodged in the Josephine County Jail for the trespass charge and Resisting Arrest.

 

A woman wanted on six warrants was apprehended by Grants Pass Police inside Parker's Place.

Brittany Adams was observed sleeping on a couch at the 210 Redwood Highway location Thursday at 4:41 p.m. The responding officer knew she had valid warrants out of the police department for her arrest, so she was taken into custody.

Adams six warrants charged her with Second Degree Criminal Trespass, Possession of Fentanyl, and four counts of Methamphetamine Possession. During a consent search of her person, police found a Ziploc baggie with a white colored residue inside.

Following a positive field test of the residue for meth, Adams was transported to and lodged in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility on her warrants. An additional charge of Meth Possession was referred to the District Attorney's Office.

 

Despite challenges, the West Fork Evans Creek Fire is now 30% lined thanks to overnight efforts.

According to the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District, crews concentrated much of their efforts along the southwestern portion of the fire, strengthening existing firelines and working to establish additional containment opportunities.

The fire is now estimated at 200 acres. While cooler temperatures and some overnight humidity recovery were expected to help reduce fire activity, heavy fuel loads and a temperature inversion contributed to more persistent burning than anticipated. Southeast winds also influenced fire behavior overnight, including a roughly two-acre spot fire 1,000 feet from the main body of the fire that firefighters are successfully holding.

Steep slopes, hazardous snags and heavy concentrations of fuels have added complexity to suppression efforts. Today, firefighters will continue aggressive suppression efforts across the fire.

Resources assigned include six 20-person hand crews, three dozers, six water tenders, three task force leaders, three heavy equipment bosses and additional overhead personnel. Specialized falling resources are also assigned to address hazardous trees and improve firefighter safety.

Four Type 1 helicopters, along with an air attack aircraft, are assigned to the incident to support aggressive suppression efforts. Weather conditions will present additional challenges today, with temperatures expected to reach approximately 83 degrees.

No structures have been lost as a result of the fire, and none are threatened at this time. The cause of the fire is not immediately apparent.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two suspects in separate trespassing cases Thursday for active warrants.

The first suspect, Kenneth Snook, was contacted for trespassing on Les Schwab property around 7:39 a.m. He was found to have a warrant out of the Medford Police Department for Possession of Methamphetamine. His identity and warrant were confirmed, and officers took Snook into custody.

He was trespassed from the 320 Union Avenue business, and lodged in the Josephine County Jail. He was later conditionally released.

That same morning around 8:18 a.m., an officer was conducting a proactive area check of the vacant property behind Spirit Halloween. A camp site was seen in the area, and two individuals were trespassed.

One of the suspects Jeffrey Hobson, was discovered to be wanted out of Medford for Littering within 100 Yards of State Water. He was arrested and lodged in the Adult Jail Facility for his warrant. A receipt for his property was provided.

 

Quick action by local firefighters and the Josephine Community Library Williams Branch Supervisor helped save a man’s life Wednesday evening.

According to a release, the man went into cardiac arrest during a community town hall at the Williams Grange. Firefighters attending the meeting immediately began CPR but did not have emergency medical equipment with them because they had arrived in personal vehicles. An automated external defibrillator (AED) was retrieved from the Williams branch library next door, allowing the fire chief to administer lifesaving treatment.

The incident highlights the importance of having accessible AEDs in community spaces, especially a rural community where it is already challenging to access emergency support.

 

Firefighters have now established firelines along approximately 20% of the West Fork Evans Creek Fire’s perimeter, marking another step forward in suppression efforts. According to the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District, much of this progress has been concentrated on the western perimeter, where crews have been utilizing a combination of hose lays, dozer lines and direct handline construction. With additional fireline established on the west side, resources are now shifting their focus toward the eastern perimeter. Fire activity subsided considerably since sunset, giving firefighters an opportunity to take advantage of more favorable overnight conditions. Cooler temperatures and increasing relative humidity helped to further moderate fire behavior as crews continue work to extend firelines. The fire’s most recent acreage estimate is approximately 125 acres according to the Watch Duty app. No structures have been lost, and the official cause of the fire remains under investigation.