Local News

Grants Pass Police jailed two men for stealing a vehicle and flatbed trailer valued at nearly $80,000 from the Spalding Industrial Park over the weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested 45-year-old Richard Dale Chalker, Jr, and 58-year-old Stephen Paul Kiyak in the 900-block of SE N Street at about 7:32 a.m. Saturday, shortly after the crime was reported. Police said a male caller to 9-1-1 reported that a Land Rover Explorer and a flatbed trailer were stolen from the 2200-block of NE Spalding Avenue. They said the Land Rover with British plates was on the trailer. The vehicles had been barricaded on the property, but the suspects removed the rocks in front of them in order to commit the heist. Responding officers pulled over a Ford F-250 that was towing the stolen trailer and Land Rover on SE N Street. Chalker was placed into custody without incident, but Kiyak fled into the backyard of a nearby home where he was eventually arrested with assistance from the Oregon State Police. The stolen vehicle and trailer were recovered, and the suspect vehicle was towed. Damage to the trailer axle was reported, which will cost around $2,000 to repair. Richard Chalker and Stephen Kiyak were both lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a total of seven charges including two counts each of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, plus single counts of Felony Aggravated Theft, 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief and Criminal Conspiracy.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a suspect for multiple crimes after stopping a one-man weekend crime wave. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 40-year-old Jacob David Woolery at Home Depot on Saturday at 3:33 p.m. after had committed thefts at Gallop & Glitz in downtown Grants Pass as well as at Home Depot and from a vehicle parked at Home Depot. Police said they initially alerted to a theft complaint at Gallop & Glitz where a male subject later identified as Woolery stole four pairs of "Rock Revival" jeans valued at more than $700. The crime was captured on video surveillance before the suspect fled the scene south on G Street. Less than an hour later, police were notified about a male subject who unlawfully entered the back of a Dodge pickup and stole a leaf blower and gas can. The victim was able to see her property in the back of the suspect's vehicle while he was inside Home Depot committing another crime. Woolery was contacted with a cart full of Home Depot items he was loading into his vehicle. At no point did the suspect attempt to pay for the items, which were valued at nearly $900. All the merchandise was recovered and the suspect was found to be in possession of fentanyl while being placed into custody. Jacob Woolery was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for four counts of 2nd-Degree Theft, one count of Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle and the narcotics violation.

 

A Grants Pass Police Department investigation into an alleged weekend assault at a south-city bar resulted in the arrest of a woman on an outstanding warrant. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 27-year-old Maria Alicia Sanchez for her alleged role in the assault at 238 Bar on Saturday afternoon -- but the incident reportedly happened around 1:30 that morning. Police said the female victim reported that Sanchez grabbed her hair and bashed head into the bar. The caller said the incident was witnessed by the bartender who told Sanchez to stop. However, after viewing video surveillance, officers decided that the alleged victim was actually the aggressor in the incident. During contact with Sanchez, it was discovered that she was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Probation Violation related to an arrest for impaired driving. She was lodged at the Josephine County Jail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a man on three active warrants while performing a welfare check at an Interstate 5 rest area late last week. OSP reports state troopers contacted 27-year-old Allen Totten Behrle at the south Manzanita Rest Area on Friday afternoon. Troopers said a citizen requested they perform a welfare check on Behrle because he was acting in an odd manner at the rest stop. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the man was wanted on one felony warrant and two misdemeanor warrants. Criminal allegations contained in the warrants included 1st-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief along with failing to appear in court for Resisting Arrest and Menacing. Allen Behrle was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving after he crashed his vehicle in the North Valley area over the weekend. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies and emergency crews responded to a single-vehicle wreck in the 1100-block of Plumtree Lane on Saturday at 9:30 p.m.. Deputies said they received a report of a Ford F-250 pickup that left the roadway, crashed into two road signs and landed in some trees. The driver -- later identified as 61-year-old Darryl Leland Haugh -- climbed out of his vehicle and was not hurt. Upon arrival, deputies contacted Haugh who displayed signs of impairment. After performing poorly in field sobriety tests, he was placed into custody. Darryl Haugh was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving and two counts of Criminal Mischief. His damaged pickup was impounded and Josephine County Public Works was notified about damage to the road signs.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested at least three motorists for impaired driving over the weekend in the Grants Pass area. According to OSP, the first incident occurred on Friday at 11:50 p.m. when state troopers pulled over an Acura TSX driven by 40-year-old Kristina Tillo of Grants Pass on Williams Highway near Grandview Avenue. Troopers said they stopped Tillo for speeding, she displayed signs of impairment and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. She refused to provide a breath sample, so she was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented her impairment. The second incident happened on Sunday at 9:42 p.m. when troopers pulled over a Ford F-250 driven by 43-year-old Kenneth Brunt of Grants Pass near milepost 2 of Williams Highway. Troopers said they stopped Brunt for speeding and signs of impairment were observed. He performed poorly in sobriety tests and provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit before he was lodged at the Sobering Center. The third incident took place at 12:13 a.m. today when troopers pulled over a truck driven by 58-year-old Robert Bowen near the corner of NE 7th and Steiger streets. Troopers said Bowen was driving in the wrong direction on a one-way street, he appeared to be impaired and he performed poorly in sobriety tests. He refused to provide a breath sample, so he was taken to the hospital for a legal blood draw that documented his impairment.

 

A domestic violence shooting suspect is dead after crashing head-on into a responding fire truck outside Ashland early yesterday. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports the domestic violence victim was injured in the crash and transported to a local hospital while the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene. Deputies responded to a shots-fired domestic violence call early Sunday morning in the 8,000-block of Dead Indian Memorial Road in the hills east of Ashland. Dispatchers received the 9-1-1 call at 4:39 a.m. during a house party. The caller reported overhearing an argument followed by gun shots and the suspect and victim leaving the residence in a vehicle at a high rate of speed toward Ashland. Jackson County Public Information Officer Aaron Lewis said the suspect's vehicle left its lane of travel on Dead Indian Memorial Road near milepost 2, colliding head-on with a responding truck from Jackson County Fire District #5. He said the suspect was extricated from the vehicle and pronounced deceased at the scene. The victim was transported to a local hospital to be treated for injuries. No firefighters were injured in the crash. Detectives took over the investigation. They said identification of the deceased is pending next of kin notification.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman on two outstanding warrants following a weekend disturbance in the North Valley area. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 58-year-old Tanya D'aun Reeves after they responded to the incident in the 1,000-block of Plumtree Lane on Friday at 11:33 p.m.. Deputies said a male caller reported that his neighbor threw a Molotov cocktail on his property and had been shooting his residence with a BB gun. The caller hung up, but a woman called back and stated the neighbors were pointing guns at her. Upon arrival, deputies were unable to substantiate any of the claims -- but they acknowledged there have been ongoing issues between the complainants and the occupants of the neighboring property. While at the scene, deputies discovered that Reeves was wanted on two Josephine County warrants for Probation Violation related to a recent arrest for Felony Theft as well as Criminal Mischief and Driving While Revoked. Tanya Reeves was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. She was held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a woman for multiple counts of fraud at the start of the weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested 32-year-old Miranda Marie Linville on Friday at about 9:30 p.m.. No details about the investigation or arrest were disclosed, but Linville was charged with a total of nine alleged crimes including Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card, Computer Crime and Theft. Miranda Linville was lodged at the Josephine County Jail without any scheduled bail.