Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a former Walmart employee over the weekend for allegedly stealing from her employer. The Police Department reports officers responded to an employee theft incident at the store on NE Terry Lane on Saturday at about 5 p.m.. Police said 24-year-old DeeAnna Janae Raley-Murphy was detained by Walmart loss prevention for stealing approximately $250 worth of items from the store. An investigation determined she concealed items in her purse and brought them into the break room to take home without paying. According to the report, Walmart tracked multiple incidents of Raley-Murphy stealing from the store during her shift and they terminated her employment. The stolen items were recovered. Raley-Murphy was cited to appear in court on January 7th for 2nd-Degree Theft. She gathered her personal items and left the store.

 

A Washington man was cited for causing a weekend crash on Interstate 5 in northern Josephine County. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the two-vehicle collision in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 76 on Saturday at 9:14 p.m.. Troopers said an investigation indicates a 69-year-old man from Des Moines, Washington, was driving an Itasca motorhome when he attempted to pass a commercial vehicle hauling cars and side-swiped the trailer. They said multiple witnesses observed the incident and corroborated evidence at the scene. The Washington motorist was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center after complaining of pain. The motorhome was heavily damaged and towed to Grants Pass. The semi driver from San Mateo, California, was not hurt and he was able to drive away. Following an investigation, the Washington man was cited at the hospital for Failing to Drive Within Lane and No Operator's License.

 

A Grants Pass man was hurt when he crashed his vehicle on Redwood Highway near Kerby. The Oregon State Police, Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to the single-vehicle wreck in the 25,200-block of US Highway 199 on Saturday at 6:34 a.m.. State troopers said evidence at the scene indicates the 27-year-old man was driving a Honda Civic when it sustained a tire malfunction, left the roadway and came to an uncontrolled stop in a ditch. The driver sustained minor injuries in the crash and was evaluated by medics at the scene, but he declined further medical evaluation at the hospital. His request to arrange his own vehicle recovery was granted. No citations were issued.

 

Grants Pass police officers and firefighters started off the holiday season by logging a busy week of community safety by protecting people and structures. According to the Weekly Report filed by Grants Pass City Manager Aaron Cubic, police officers responded to a total of 477 calls for service along with 337 officer-initiated calls last week that resulted in 28 arrests, 35 citations, 80 warnings and three highly-intoxicated people being lodged at the Sobering Center. Cubic also reported that officers conducted a total of 118 traffic stops in the city and they made 17 referrals to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The GPPD Community Response Team (CRT) made a total of 80 contacts with potential troublemakers while arresting three people, citing three more and warning 20 others. The CRT unit also trespassed four individuals from various locations. Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to a total of 93 calls last week including 40 for emergency medical service, five for reports of fire or smoke, 18 lift assists, eight rescue situations, nine assists to other agencies and nine false alarms. The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded a total of 1,043 emergency calls along with 482 calls for non-emergency service.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a felon with a bad habit of driving with a suspended license at the start of the weekend. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a truck driven by 55-year-old Shane Allen Feack in the 700-block of SW Bridge Street on Friday around 7 p.m.. Police said they stopped Feack for Failure to Obey a Traffic Device at SE 7th and M streets as well as Operating a Vehicle without Proper Mudguards. They learned he was driving with a felony suspended license and that he was wanted on two Grants Pass warrants for the same violation. Feack was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus Felony Driving While Suspended and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer and his vehicle was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended a woman wanted on a local felony warrant late last week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 28-year-old Rayeena Desiree Giles in the 5500-block of West Side Road near Cave Junction on Friday afternoon. Deputies said they were serving a subpoena on an unrelated matter when they saw Giles driving a vehicle on a nearby easement road. They recognized the woman from previous criminal encounters and knew that she was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Possession and Delivery of Methamphetamine. Giles was contacted and placed into custody without incident. She was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on $250,000 bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man wanted on a local warrant while performing a patrol check on the east side of the city. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 33-year-old Donald Gene Strunk near the corner of NE Industry Drive and Assembly Circle on Friday at 7:35 p.m.. Police said they recognized Strunk from prior contacts and they knew he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was placed into custody without incident. Strunk was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus he was trespassed from Walmart due to an unrelated incident. He was being held on $25,000 bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a transient for trespassing after he started a small warming fire underneath a bridge on the Parkway. The Police Department reports officers responded to reports of a fire on railroad property under the bridge on Friday at 11:33 p.m.. Police said they arrived on scene and contacted 35-year-old Alejandro Camarena-Torres. Camarena-Torres and another man were standing next to the warming fire and he admitted to starting the small blaze. It was easily extinguished by officers. Camarena-Torres was lodged at the Josephine County for 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.

 

The Cave Junction City Council will hold a public hearing on flood hazard protection during its monthly meeting this evening. The flood protection ordinance is to bring the city in compliance with current standards mandated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Oregon. In July of this year, FEMA announced changes to the implementation of the National Flood Insurance Program in the state to comply with the Endangered Species Act. Local jurisdictions must implement the standards by this month or risk being ineligible for participation in the NFIP. In other business, the City Council will hold a hearing on the Cave Junction Library's Closing Presentation and Pacific Power will provide an update on its local powerline project. There is also a resolution declaring 129 North Kerby Avenue a nuisance plus the monthly public works update. The next City Council meeting is scheduled for January 13th. Cave Junction City Hall will be closed on December 24th and 25th for Christmas, and it will close at 11:30 a.m. on December 31st and remain shuttered for New Year's Day. Tonight's meeting starts at 7 at Cave Junction City Hall, 222 Lister Street.