Local News

The Oregon State Police lodged a Grants Pass man at a local detox center this week after multiple calls from motorists on Interstate 5 and the Parkway. According to OSP, troopers responded to several calls for service for a male subject lying on the side of the road near the intersection of the highways in east Grants Pass on Thursday afternoon. Upon contacting the individual, troopers said he was visibly intoxicated on an unknown substance potentially believed to be Ketamine, which is a powerful narcotic used to tranquilize horses and other large animals.

 

While searching for a missing Grants Pass man yesterday, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a local fugitive at a transient camp in the Colonial Valley area. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 43-year-old male subject at a large transient camp near the intersection of Highland Avenue and Donaldson Road on Thursday at 10:05 a.m.. Deputies said they came across the camp while looking for 75-year-old Stephen David Bowen who had been reported missing after he left his Sunflower Lane residence for a nature walk on Wednesday afternoon and did not return. They said Bowen has since been located and is no longer missing. Three men were contacted at the transient camp and one of them was found to be wanted on a statewide felony warrant issued by the Sheriff's Office for Parole Violation stemming from a 2017 conviction for a weapons violation. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. All three men were trespassed from their campsite.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving last night after she crashed a vehicle in downtown Wolf Creek. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle wreck in the 800-block of Railroad Avenue on Thursday shortly after 7 p.m.. Deputies said they were alerted to the crash by the Wolf Creek Fire Protection District, which stated the 74-year-old female subject was slurring her words and having a hard time describing what occurred. She later told deputies she "waved at a guy" and did not recall what happened after that. The woman reportedly hit her head during the crash, but she refused transport to Three Rivers Medical Center. A search warrant was obtained and she was taken to the Grants Pass hospital for a legal blood draw. Following the investigation, the suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. Her Subaru Outback was impounded.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass woman on an outstanding warrant during an encounter that occurred early yesterday. OSP reports troopers contacted the 38-year-old woman with a Chrysler PT Cruiser in an unspecified location of Josephine County on Thursday at 7:37 a.m.. Troopers said they ran a check on the vehicle's license plate and learned that the registered owner of the car was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. According to OSP, the woman was lodged in jail on the warrant. Per her request, her vehicle was left at the scene. A dog in the car was handed over to Josephine County Animal Control and taken to the shelter.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for driving with a suspended license and other traffic violations after contacting her at a south-city car wash last night. According to the Police Department, officers made contact with the 52-year-old female subject at Crater Car Wash on Union Avenue near Ringuette Street on Thursday around 6:40 p.m.. Police said they observed the woman cleaning a Mitsubishi Montero at the car wash and they knew from prior contacts her driving privileges were suspended. They also noticed that the SUV had switched license plates. She was stopped and found to be driving for no emergent reason, so she was placed into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving While Suspended. She was also cited to appear in court for No Insurance, Improper Display of Plates and Failure to Install an Ignition Interlock Device. The SUV was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman yesterday for wearing out her welcome at Walmart. The Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing complaint at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Thursday shortly after 3 p.m.. Police said Walmart requested three individuals be trespassed including a 31-year-old woman who had been trespassed from the store on April 13th. They contacted the suspect and found her to be in possession of foil and a "tooter" related to drugs. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Criminal Trespass and she was warned for the narcotics violation. She and her two friends were trespassed from Walmart.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted two campers from a city park early yesterday for repeat ordinance violations. On Monday at Tussing Park, a woman was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Illegal Camping after she failed to remove her previously posted campsite. Meanwhile, two men were cited for Scattering Rubbish at the same park. The woman and one of the men were trespassed from the park for 30 days.

 

Total payroll employment in Josephine County rose by 120 jobs in March. According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 34,145 people working in Josephine County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.5%, which was the same as in February and down from 6% in March 2023. Job gains were estimated in leisure & hospitality, and professional & business services. Government employment climbed by 60 jobs over the month. Local government education, federal government and state government all saw an uptick in job counts in March. Other published industries showed little change. Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County slipped by 170 jobs, a decrease of 0.6%. Industries adding jobs since March 2023 included private education & health services (+290), and mining & logging (+20). Industries with estimated losses were retail trade (-130), leisure & hospitality (-80), professional & business services (-80), other services (-70), and wholesale trade (-60). Government employment rose by 80 jobs over the year. Federal, state and local government all added jobs in the past 12 months.

 

UPDATE 4/26/24: Stephen Bowen has been located and is no longer missing

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was seeking public assistance in locating a missing Grants Pass area man. The Sheriff's Office said they received a report that 75-year-old Stephen David Bowen went for a nature walk on Wednesday at about 4 p.m. and he had not returned to his home in the 100-block of Sunflower Lane off Highland Avenue as of Thursday morning. Bowen is described as a white male adult, 5-feet-5-inches tall and 170 pounds, with long gray hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a T-shirt, lightweight coat, jeans and tennis shoes. Josephine County Search & Rescue was activated late Wednesday night and volunteers joined deputies in the search until early yesterday. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Stephen Bowen is encouraged to contact the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.