Local News

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is investigating complaints generated by a Level 3 sex offender sending disturbing letters to female members of the southwest Oregon community. Local law enforcement agencies have received multiple complaints from women who have received letters from 44-year-old Uriah Shawn Strauss. These letters are filled with sexually explicit content, causing alarm and fear for personal safety. Douglas County Lieutenant Brad O'Dell said Strauss has requested assistance from women unknown to him and stalked them in the past. He said the suspect targeted females in public places where he detained and attempted to sexually assault them. Strauss has contacted his victims through various methods including social media, phone book records, advertisements and magazine labels. He has stalked them at work, by phone, mail and e-mail. On two occasions, the suspect attempted to kidnap adult females for the purpose of sexual assault.
By law, this individual may not knowingly communicate in any manner with a person under 18 years of age with the intent to commit a crime. He also may not knowingly enter or remain in or upon premises where persons under 18 years of age regularly congregate such as schools, childcare centers and playgrounds.

 

The manhunt for a fourth suspect wanted in connection with the November 21st homicide in the 1400-block of Rogue River Highway is over. According to an Oregon State Police press release, at approximately 12:10 p.m. the suspect, 48-year-old Kelly Lynn Mason, was located in a vehicle near Grants Pass and fled from law enforcement officers who pursued the suspect. The pursuit ended at Highway 199, the Redwood Highway, and Allen Creek Road. During the course of the incident, law enforcement officers from all three agencies, Grants Pass City Police, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and State Troopers, discharged their duty weapons. Mason was pronounced deceased on scene. At least one law enforcement officer on scene received non-life-threatening injuries during the incident. All involved officers have been placed on traumatic event leave as is standard protocol in Senate Bill 111 deadly force incidents.The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation of the incident.On November 21st at 7:42 p.m., Grants Pass Police responded to a report of gunshots fired inside an apartment on Highway 99 near Hamilton Lane. Upon arrival, officers found a female victim who had been shot and a male victim who had been severely beaten. The gunshot victim -- Katherine Crago -- did not survive her wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The male victim was taken to a local hospital where he was expected to recover from his injuries.

 

The manhunt for a fourth suspect wanted in connection with the November 21st homicide in the 1400-block of Rogue River Highway is over. The Grants Pass Police Department confirms that 48-year-old Kelly Lynn Mason was shot and killed by law enforcement at the intersection of Redwood Highway and Allen Creek Road during the noon hour today. Police said Kelly was considered armed and extremely dangerous. Following a short pursuit, the suspect reportedly crashed his vehicle into a light pole and began firing a gun at officers. Police returned fire and the suspect was declared deceased. In an interesting development, GPPD had issued a press release about the manhunt for Mason just minutes before he was shot and killed. On November 21st at 7:42 p.m., Grants Pass Police responded to a report of gunshots fired inside an apartment on Highway 99 near Hamilton Lane. Upon arrival, officers found a female victim who had been shot and a male victim who had been severely beaten. The gunshot victim -- Katherine Crago -- did not survive her wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The male victim was taken to a local hospital where he was expected to recover from his injuries. Over the past three weeks, the GPPD Major Crimes Unit had conducted an intense investigation including meticulous forensic analysis and community collaboration. The investigation revealed the victims had been specifically targeted for the robbery that resulted in murder. The investigation has resulted in the arrests of Sasha Marie Moe, Rick Eric Braton Lester and Michael Fay Woodruff. All three suspects have been lodged at the Josephine County Jail on charges of 2nd-Degree Murder, Attempted 2nd-Degree Murder, 1st-Degree Robbery, 1st-Degree Burglary, Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon and 2nd-Degree Assault.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office cited a motorist for causing a violent crash on Redwood Highway in downtown Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies, the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to the two-vehicle wreck on US Highway 199 at East Lister Street on Thursday shortly before the noon hour. IVFD officials said arriving units found one vehicle upside-down and the other with heavy front-end damage. The vehicles were identified as a Toyota 4-Runner and a Toyota RAV-4, but the drivers were not identified in the Sheriff's Log. Notes in the log indicated the at-fault driver may have been a juvenile. Deputies said video surveillance from the nearby Thrift Store showed the at-fault driver was traveling south on the highway when they ran through a red light and side-impacted the other motorist who had a green light. They said there were no obvious injuries, but both drivers complained of soreness. Redwood Highway was completely blocked at the intersection until Jerry's Towing hauled the involved vehicles away. Following the investigation, deputies cited the at-fault motorist for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device and No Operator's License. They also warned the driver for No Insurance.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a local warrant on the west side of the city early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 25-year-old Dakota Robert Connolly near the corner of SW Foundry and Fry Street on Thursday at 1:41 a.m.. Police said they were looking for Connolly because he was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. They said an anonymous tip informed officers that he was in the area. Upon contact with Connolly, he refused to identify himself. However, he was positively identified while speaking with his associates and he was placed into custody. After the warrant was confirmed, Dakota Connolly was lodged at the jail facility.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department announced it would not be releasing its daily incident log today because it was upgrading its system software, but it appears that Grants Pass Fire & Rescue was busy on Thursday. Grants Pass firefighters started their day with a medical call on SE Excalibur Drive at 1:46 a.m. and ended it with an overdose call on SE K Street at 9:43 p.m.. Firefighters and paramedics responded to a trash fire call on Union Avenue, a medical call on Forestview Drive, a lift assist on NW Sinclair Drive, an assist to the public on NW Hillcrest Drive, an overdose call on SE M Street, a medical call on NE E Street and a lift assist on Swarthout Drive all before the noon hour. In the afternoon, there were medical calls on NE Riddle Drive, NE Terry Lane, Williams Highway and Darneille Lane. They were followed by an evening fire alarm on NW Constitution Circle. No details were released by GP Fire & Rescue on any of the calls for service.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended three local fugitives in one afternoon this week during patrol sweeps in Cave Junction and the Illinois Valley. The Sheriff's Office reports the first incident occurred on Wednesday at 2:16 p.m. when deputies arrested 28-year-old William James Holmen in the 200-block of South Redwood Highway in Cave Junction. Holmen was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Mail Theft, Receiving Stolen Mail, 2nd-Degree Burglary, 2nd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail. The second incident happened on Wednesday at 2:53 p.m. when deputies arrested 43-year-old Joshua David Scott in the 100-block of East O'Brien Street. Scott was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail. The third incident took place on Wednesday at 3:53 p.m. when deputies arrested 53-year-old Mary Jeanene Myers at a transient camp off a US Forest Service Road. Myers was wanted for Probation Violation related to a June 17th arrest for Felony Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing. She was lodged in jail and cited to appear in court for Providing False Information to a Forest Service Officer.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office captured a fugitive and cited two other people while investigating a reported transient camp on public land this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 31-year-old Ngitchob Heather Renguul on BLM property near Grants Pass on Wednesday around midnight. Deputies said they contacted Renguul and two men identified as 58-year-old Jack Osborn and 43-year-old Jonathan Wells at the transient camp. They said Renguul was wanted on warrants issued out of Roseburg, Medford and Jackson County. Charges contained in the warrants included Probation Violation related to Felony Burglary, failing to appear in court for Criminal Mischief and failing to appear in court for Criminal Trespass. Renguul was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail where she was being held without bail. Meanwhile, Osborn was cited for Offensive Littering and Wells was cited for Criminal Trespass. Both were ordered to appear in court for the violations and all three were trespassed from the BLM property.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving this week after he struck and injured a pedestrian near Three Rivers Medical Center. The Police Department reports officers responded to the reported mishap at the corner of Allen Creek Road and SW Ramsey Avenue on Wednesday afternoon. Police said a motorist they identified as "Zachary Knowlton" was driving a Chevrolet Suburban while impaired when he lost control of the vehicle, went up onto the shoulder and hit a pedestrian. They said he showed signs of impairment at the scene and performed poorly in field sobriety testing. According to the report, the unidentified pedestrian was transported by ambulance to the nearby hospital with visible injuries. Knowlton was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and his vehicle was impounded.