Local News

A Grants Pass woman was arrested yesterday for stiffing a cab driver of her fare, fleeing on foot and then struggling with law enforcement. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a theft complaint at the Dollar General store on SW Bridge Street on Thursday around 12:30 p.m.. Police said the 42-year-old woman hailed a cab from Rogue Taxi at Shari's Cafe & Pies on NE Agness Avenue and was transported to Dollar General where she told the driver she had no money and ran away on Lincoln Road toward the river. According to the report, the cab fare she skipped out on was $28. Officers were able to track down the suspect on Lower River Road near Doneen Lane. When she was told she was under arrest, she used active resistance in order to avoid being placed into custody. She was ultimately apprehended. The suspect was booked into the Josephine County Jail for Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct and 3rd-Degree Theft. She was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended two brothers who were wanted on local felony warrants in two separate incidents on Thursday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 53-year-old man in the lobby of the Josephine County Jail at 11:37 a.m. yesterday. Deputies did not disclose why the man showed up at the jail lobby, but he was arrested on a Josephine County felony warrant as a material witness to an unspecified crime and was being held without bail. Deputies arrested the man's 51-year-old brother in the 12,200-block of Redwood Highway at 5:35 p.m. yesterday. He was also wanted on a felony warrant as a material witness to an unspecified crime and was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving after he wrecked his vehicle into a ditch off Redwood Highway near Wilderville late last night. OSP reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle crash on US Highway 199 on Thursday at 11:01 p.m.. Troopers said the 30-year-old male subject drove his Chevrolet Colorado out of the ditch and to his nearby residence before they arrived on scene. Upon contacting the man, they discovered that he was not hurt -- but he displayed multiple signs of impairment by alcohol. According to OSP, the man performed poorly in field sobriety tests so he was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was nearly three times the legal driving limit. The suspect was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving before being released to Sobering Center staff.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist on an outstanding warrant during a traffic stop on Rogue River Highway in Grants Pass early yesterday. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Chevrolet Impala driven by a 27-year-old woman on Highway 99 near the South Y intersection at 8:17 a.m. Thursday. Troopers said they stopped the woman for multiple traffic violations and soon discovered that she was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for impaired driving. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant, but she was conditionally released with a citation a short time later. Her vehicle had been turned over to a family member at the scene of the traffic stop.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted three campers and posted numerous campsites during city park patrol checks on Thursday. At Riverside Park, a man was issued citations for Improper Utilization of Park Space and Scattering Rubbish. He was trespassed from the park for 30 days. A total of 30 campsites were posted with 72-hour notices and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network (UCAN). At Baker Park, a man was cited for drug possession and issued a 30-day exclusion notice. A total of eight campsites were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to UCAN. At Fruitdale Park, a man was cited for Open Burning and Public Urination before he was trespassed from the park for 30 days. Three tents were posted for Illegal Camping and an e-mail was sent to UCAN.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a young man this week for targeting homeless people living in two city parks. On Wednesday at 11:24 p.m., police officers responded to a report of a physical assault on a female who had been sleeping in a tent at Tussing Park. Police found a 50-year-old female who had been struck across the face with a large tree branch, causing a severe laceration to her lip and bruising across her face. The victim was provided with medical attention as she told officers how two male subjects had walked through the park yelling and hitting tents. When the victim looked out of her tent to see what was happening, one of the suspects hit her. The two suspects fled the scene in a vehicle following the assault. A short time later, GPPD received reports that two males matching the description were attempting to assault people at Morrison Centennial Park. Officers arrived on scene and the suspects had already fled, but the suspects and their vehicle were captured on surveillance video at both parks. An investigation by police officers and detectives identified the primary suspect as 18-year-old Petersen Pearce Amotai of Grants Pass. He was arrested on Thursday at 2:55 a.m. and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges of 2nd-Degree Assault. Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Parole Violation. His accomplice is believed to be a juvenile male who has not yet been arrested. Anyone with further information related to these incidents or the whereabouts of the involved juvenile is urged to contact the Grants Pass Police Department at (541)-450-6260 and reference Case #24-11329.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Selma woman for allegedly assaulting her brother during an argument over a vehicle late last week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 74-year-old woman for the incident that occurred in the 200-block of Borica Drive last Friday evening. Deputies said the victim's daughter called 9-1-1 on Wednesday to report that her father was in the hospital and not doing well. They said he texted his daughter on Saturday and said he was being treated for a fall. She visited him on Monday and he told her his sister had pushed him down during an argument over a vehicle. According to the report, the siblings live together on the Illinois Valley property and the sister forced her brother to tell people he was injured in a fall. When the daughter went to the home to collect some things for her father, her aunt was uncooperative and would not let her take the vehicle. Following an investigation, deputies placed the woman into custody and lodged her at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 2nd-Degree Assault. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a local felon who fabricated a story about being shot in order to get out of the rain. The Police Department reports officers responded to the "shots-fired" incident at the 7-Eleven store on SW 6th Street late Wednesday night Police said the 28-year-old man called 9-1-1 from the store to report that he had been shot in the hip with a .22-caliber firearm near the railroad tracks. The call resulted in an emergency response, prompting the dispatch of fire engines, an ambulance and three law enforcement units. Officers quickly determined that the man had not been shot or victimized in any way. He admitted that he wanted a room to get out of the rain for a few days and hoped to receive some opioids to alleviate withdrawals from a fentanyl addiction. The suspect was given a "room" at the Josephine County Jail for Initiating a False Police Report and Improper Use of 9-1-1 plus the resulting Parole Violation from previous arrests for Resisting Arrest, Escape and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for trying to steal rent money from a Ready Ride driver this week. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the theft by the local company around midday Wednesday. Police said an investigation determined a Ready Ride driver picked up a 44-year-old man in the 100-block of Penwheel Drive to transport him to Medford. They said $750 fell out of the driver's pocket and was picked up by the suspect. When confronted about the money, the suspect denied taking it and refused to advise where it was, even when confronted with video evidence of the crime. Only $50 of the money was recovered as the suspect refused to tell officers where the rest of it was. The man was searched and the rest of the money was recovered. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on charges of 2nd-Degree Theft and Tampering with Evidence. He was being held without bail.