Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a felon for violating his post-prison supervision by causing a disturbance at a downtown coffee stand early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving 30-year-old Dennis Alan Knight, Jr., at the Dutch Bros stand near SW G Street in the newly-renamed Caveman Plaza on Wednesday around 8 a.m.. Police said Knight was reported to be smoking something, threatening to kill people and refusing to leave the business. He also refused to identify himself while making many violent statements and a Dutch Bros employee wanted him removed. Arriving officers contacted Knight who admitted to using methamphetamine throughout the night. His corrections officer was contacted and requested that his client be detained. Dennis Knight was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Parole Violation and he was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

A Grants Pass motorist was arrested for impaired driving late yesterday after he crashed into another vehicle, disabled both vehicles and injured himself. The Police Department reports officers and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle wreck at the intersection of SW Bridge and Laurel streets shortly before 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Police said an investigation determined that 38-year-old Walter David Day was driving a Honda CRV west on Bridge when he rear-ended a Lincoln MRZ that had stopped at the intersection to allow another vehicle to turn left onto Laurel. Day told officers he did not see the Lincoln and hit it while going about 40 miles per hour. The violent impact broke the driver seat of the Lincoln, but the driver was not hurt. Both vehicles were towed from the scene. Day was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with a head injury. He was contacted at the hospital where he showed signs of impairment and admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages before driving. After being medically cleared at the hospital, Walter Day was taken to the adult jail facility where he provided a positive breath sample. He was booked on charges of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Reckless Driving.

 

Grants Pass Police captured a statewide fugitive while investigating a motor vehicle accident that occurred on the east side of the city late yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of NE Agness Avenue at F Street around 5 p.m. Wednesday. Police said a motorist they identified as "McKenzie" was driving straight on Agness while a motorist they identified as "Trader" was driving east on F when McKenzie failed to stop and struck the side of Trader's vehicle. No one was hurt and both vehicles were still drivable after the collision. An investigation determined that McKenzie was the at-fault driver because she had low visibility due to a cracked driver-side window. She was cited for Operation of an Unsafe Vehicle, Driving While Suspended and No Insurance. A passenger in one of the vehicles was identified as 33-year-old Brandon Alexander Lorenzi and it was discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State Warrant for Felony Parole Violation. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two people in separate trespassing complaints that were filed by the arrestees' family members late yesterday. According to the Police Department, the first incident occurred on Wednesday at 4:10 p.m. when officers arrested 29-year-old Jordan Taylor Longoria at a home in the 2300-block of NW Highland Avenue. Police said Longoria had returned to his grandmother's residence after he had been trespassed from the property. Responding officers found the suspect going through items in the carport and he was placed into custody. Longoria was charged with 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. The second incident happened on Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. when officers arrested 61-year-old Joseph Charles Ginevra at a home in the 800-block of NE 8th Street. Police said Ginevra's grandson called 9-1-1 to report that his grandfather was drunk, belligerent and wouldn't get out of his car. Officers contacted the suspect inside his grandson's car and he refused to exit. Turns out he was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage, Reckless Driving and Reckless Endangering. He was removed from the car and jailed.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted a total of eight campers from three city parks during patrol checks that were performed early yesterday. It all started at Morrison Centennial Park where officers observed Clint Palomino and Marissa Winters with foil containing fentanyl residue. Palomino and Winters were cited for narcotics violations and trespassed from the park for 30 days. At Fruitdale Park, officers cited Dereck Lawrence and Melina Stephens for Misuse of Park Open Space and Scattering Rubbish. Justin Stout and Brittany Adams were cited for drug possession after they were observed with foil containing fentanyl. They claimed the tent and belongings were not theirs and that they were watching the items for a man called "Tom." Lawrence, Stephens, Stout and Adams were all trespassed from the park for 30 days. Also at Fruitdale Park, three truckloads of wet, soiled and hazardous materials were removed and disposed of at Southern Oregon Sanitation. At Baker Park, Tyson Hutchinson was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Kyle Conroy was cited for narcotics possession. Both were issued 30-day exclusions.

 

This week's winter storm brought snow and ice to higher elevation roads throughout Jackson County and closed multiple highways. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office responded to several traffic crashes due to these wintry conditions. The Oregon Department of Transportation and Jackson County Roads have crews working to clear roads and keep them passable. Travelers should be prepared for dangerous driving conditions and avoid driving in higher elevations if possible. Oregon 273 (Old Siskiyou Highway) and Oregon 66 (Greensprings Highway) were closed Wednesday due to winter weather. Dead Indian Memorial Road from Highway 66 to the Klamath County line was also closed. These highways were open to local traffic only and chains were required. The High Cascade passes near Diamond Lake and Crater Lake were closed until midday Wednesday due to blizzard conditions and low visibility. This includes Oregon Highway 63 east of Union Creek, Oregon Highway 230 from Union Creek to the intersection at Diamond Lake Junction, and Oregon Highway 138E between Oregon 230 and Highway 97. Interstate 5 remained open over the Siskiyou Pass. Travelers should visit "tripcheck.com" for updates on road conditions and closures during winter storms.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed one person and were looking for another in connection with a vandalism incident near Hog Creek Boat Landing. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 19-year-old Victoria Reanna Corona for the incident in the 4700-block of Galice Road on Tuesday afternoon. Deputies said they received a call from a resident reporting two people torched her travel trailer, injured her dog and stabbed a tire on her vehicle. She identified the suspects as Corona and her boyfriend, William Foxx. Foxx was reportedly armed with a large knife when he eluded law enforcement by running into the woods. Corona was located inside a vehicle driven by a woman named "Brown" and she was placed into custody. She was transported to Grants Pass and lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail for 1st-Degree Burglary and 3rd-Degree Theft. A search for Foxx in the Hog Creek area was unsuccessful. Charges of 1st-Degree Arson, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Burglary, Menacing and Escape against him were referred to the District Attorney's Office for eventual prosecution. Brown was cited for Failure to Register a Vehicle.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man and his older sister on outstanding warrants this week during an investigation near Westholm Park. The Police Department reports officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on 34-year-old Kyle Daniel Miller in the 200-block of SW Wildwood Avenue on Tuesday night. He was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Heroin Possession. Police said neighbors confirmed that Miller lives at the residence, so they tried to contact him there. He immediately shut the door and refused to identify himself, retreating into the back part of the house. His sister -- 37-year-old Bobby Rae Miller -- came out of the home and said she was trying to get him to surrender. Turns out that Bobby Miller was wanted on a Multnomah County felony warrant for Fraud, Abuse and Computer Crime as well as a Washington County warrant for failing to appear in court for 1st-Degree Theft and Supplying Contraband. She was placed into custody and lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail. Kyle Miller was eventually placed into custody and lodged in jail on his warrant.

 

A Grants Pass felon was arrested for violating his post-prison supervision after he attempted to return stolen property to the victim of a recent burglary this week The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers arrested 30-year-old Dominick Jeffrey Aragon at a mini-storage business on NW Booth Street Tuesday morning. Police said Aragon was a suspect in a burglary that occurred Monday at a home in the 4300-block of Foothill Boulevard. They said the victim reported that he texted her, told her the stolen items were at Booth Street Mini Storage and that he would meet her there at 7 a.m. when he would return the items. With that knowledge, officers were able to stop Aragon and discover that he was driving with a suspended license. His corrections officer was contacted and asked that his client be detained. Aragon was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Parole Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer and additional charges are pending further investigation, A charge of Driving While Suspended was referred to the District Attorney's Office for consideration.