Local News

The Oregon State Police arrested a Wolf Creek man for felony impaired driving and additional crimes after a traffic stop in the Sunny Valley area late yesterday. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Chrysler Cirrus driven by 73-year-old Kyle Bruno Holtz near the corner of Lariat Drive and Sunny Valley Loop shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday. Troopers said they stopped Holtz for a traffic violation and he attempted to walk away. They said he was detained and signs of impairment were observed. He performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was placed into custody. According to OSP, Holtz also had his driving privileges revoked at the felony level. He was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. Kyle Holtz was lodged at the Sobering Center on charges of Felony Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Felony Driving While Revoked, Reckless Driving and Attempting to Elude Police on Foot. His vehicle was parked and secured.

 

A Curry County man is in custody after he stole a minivan in Josephine County on Tuesday and then drove at high speeds on Interstate 5 while attempting to elude law enforcement before crashing on Table Rock Road in Medford. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports 37-year-old Antoine Roberson of Brookings attempted to flee on foot after crashing, but he was tracked down and placed into custody by deputies yesterday. Around 1:10 p.m., the stolen minivan passed Jackson County detectives in an unmarked vehicle on southbound I-5 at milepost 40. The suspect was driving recklessly at speeds over 100 miles per hour in the rain. Detectives radioed dispatch and a sheriff's deputy and Oregon State Police trooper staged near I-5 Exit 30. The minivan took the exit and attempted to elude law enforcement. A deputy successfully spiked the minivan's tires at Table Rock Road and Berrydale Avenue. The van continued driving recklessly before crashing into a car and fence on Table Rock Road. There were no injuries reported in the crash and Roberson tried to run but was placed into custody without further incident. Antoine Roberson was lodged at the Jackson County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Felony and Misdemeanor Attempt to Elude Police, 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, Reckless Driving and Reckless Endangering. An investigation determined the minivan was an unreported stolen vehicle in Josephine County. Roberson is known by the Grants Pass Police Department as a frequent camper in city parks.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for continuing to violate a court order by visiting his mother against her wishes. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving 34-year-old Evan Timothy Hall at an apartment in the 1,000-block of NE A Street on Monday morning. Police said Hall went to see his mother and a neighbor in an adjacent apartment with knowledge of the situation called for help. They said Hall got within 15 feet of his mother's front door before he turned around and started walking away. Officers contacted Hall a short distance away, confirmed the court order protecting his mother and then placed him into custody. Evan Hall was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of Contempt of Court/Restraining Order Violation and one count of 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. Hall was being held without bail. Jail records show he has been arrested 12 times for violating the restraining order since May 10th of this year.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for allegedly stealing a vehicle from his father. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Dakota David Buckelew near the corner of SE 6th and I streets Monday afternoon. Police said Buckelew's father reported the vehicle was unlawfully taken by his son and officers spotted the vehicle before making the traffic stop. They said the driver was cooperative with lawful commands and he stated he knew his father was going to report the vehicle as stolen. According to the report, Buckelew had a recent "falling out" with his father and decided to keep the vehicle anyway. He also recently had his driving privileges suspended. Buckelew was lodged without bail at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Driving While Suspended. The vehicle was secured at the scene of the traffic stop and the keys were taken to the Police Department for his father to pick up.

 

Two crashes in the Illinois Valley sent three people to the hospital with injuries late yesterday. On Tuesday at 4:31 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and Oregon State Police were dispatched to a single-vehicle wreck on Redwood Highway at Laurel Road. IVFD officials said the driver had a medical incident before the crash and was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass for further evaluation. The damaged vehicle was hauled into Cave Junction by JP Auto Recycling. On Tuesday at 5:13 p.m., IVFD and AMR responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash in the 200-block of Thompson Creek Road near Selma. Officials said the vehicle slid over an embankment and flipped over. The occupants were trapped and were extricated from the vehicle within minutes of the accident happening. Both occupants were transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Traffic was reduced to one lane while the scene was active.

 

Two dogs were rescued from a structure fire in Cave Junction late last night. On Tuesday at 11:50 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District, Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to a single-story house fire in the 200-block of Kirkham Road. IVFD officials said the structure fire was halted with no civilian or firefighter injuries reported. They said two dogs inside the burning home were rescued and both are doing fine. Officials said an investigation into the cause of the fire will be conducted.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners has only one action item in what should be a very short weekly business session this morning. The meeting agenda is topped with Requests and Comments from Citizens when people can address the Board for up to three minutes on just about any topic related to Josephine County. As part of the Consent Calendar, the Board will consider an order canceling next week's business session due to a lack of a quorum in order to conduct business. Today's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

A Jackson County Deputy District Attorney has been named "Prosecutor of the Year" by the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division for the second time. Deputy DA Melissa LeRitz was honored for her exceptional work prosecuting fish and wildlife crimes. The Wildlife Prosecutor of the Year award is made possible by the Oregon Hunter's Association and Oregon Sportsman's Conservation Partnership. LeRitz also won the award in 2020. According to Duane Dungannon, OHA publisher and state coordinator, conservation-minded sportsmen appreciate prosecutors like LeRitz who take poaching cases seriously. LeRitz has a reputation for supporting OSP game troopers as they collect and document evidence and navigate processes crucial to prosecuting fish and wildlife crime cases. Wildlife in the state of Oregon is deemed property of the state of Oregon. LeRitz said the regulations are designed to be fair to all hunters as well as the natural resources of the state. If you know of or suspect crimes against fish and wildlife or habitat, please report them to the Turn in Poachers (TIP) Line at 1-(800)-452-7888 or dial *OSP from a mobile phone.

 

For many families, venturing out onto public lands to cut a Christmas tree is an annual holiday tradition. The process of obtaining permits differs a bit by agency, but families are able to cut Christmas trees on US Forest Service or BLM lands using a permit from either agency. Each permit allows the cutting of one personal-use Christmas tree and a permit is required for each individual tree visitors wish to take home. Permits for Christmas trees are $5 per tree and non-refundable. There is a limit of five tree permits per household and the permits may be used only on those lands open to Christmas tree harvesting that are administered by the local forest and Medford District BLM. Free printable maps that identify these areas are provided at the time of permit purchase. Permits can be obtained in person at Forest Service and BLM offices. BLM-issued holiday tree permits are available for purchase online at "forestproducts.blm.gov." Forest Service-issued Christmas tree permits are available for purchase online through "recreation.gov." Many local businesses across southwest Oregon are selling Christmas tree permits.