Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a transient yesterday for stealing a shopping cart from a local retailer and setting up a makeshift campsite along the Parkway. The Police Department reports officers were performing a patrol check when they contacted 36-year-old Jonathan Michael Bull near the intersection of the Grants Pass Parkway and NE Beacon Drive on Thursday at 10:50 a.m.. Police said Bull had set up a tent on the sidewalk and the site was covered with rubbish and offensive material. They said he was also found to be in possession of a shopping cart for which he had been warned multiple times. According to the report, Bull had been trespassed from the railroad property near Agness Avenue on September 20th and from railroad property near NE Spalding Avenue on October 25th. Bull was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft and Offensive Littering. The shopping cart was returned to Walmart.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist on an outstanding warrant and for drug possession last night following a traffic stop near the Parkway. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup driven by 46-year-old Andrew Lawrence Smith near the corner of NE F Street and Fire Mountain Way on Thursday around 9:45 p.m.. Police said they stopped Smith for failing to signal a turn onto F Street and discovered that he was wanted on a Medford warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Attempted Delivery of Methamphetamine. He also had a suspended driver's license and was immediately detained. As Smith exited the truck, a small baggie with a white crystal substance fell from the side of the driver's seat to the ground. It field-tested positive as meth. A search of the vehicle located additional meth in the center console. Smith was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the MPD warrant plus a new charge of Methamphetamine Possession. He was also cited for Driving While Suspended and his pickup was impounded.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass motorist for impaired driving early today following a traffic stop on the southeast side of the city. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a silver Subaru Legacy driven by a 36-year-old woman near the corner of Cloverlawn Drive and Fruitdale Drive at 12:55 this morning. Troopers said they stopped the Subaru for traffic violations and the driver showed indicators of impairment by alcohol. After performing poorly in field sobriety tests, she was taken to the Josephine County Jail where she provided a breath sample that exceeded the legal driving limit. The woman was also wanted on a bench warrant for failing to appear in court. The suspect was lodged in jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving and the warrant. Her vehicle was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for threatening a woman with a knife on Christmas Eve morning. The Police Department reports officers arrested 54-year-old Michael Eric Maxwell for the incident at a home in the 2100-block of NW North Hill Drive on Tuesday. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that Maxwell approached her in an aggressive manner, began yelling, presented a knife above his shoulder, walked back into his residence and then left on foot. A friend of the victim corroborated her story. Officers located Maxwell a short time later and detained him near the corner of NW Hawthorne Avenue and Vine Street. He did not have a knife on him and initially would not speak to them. He later denied consent to search his residence for the knife and denied that the incident had occurred. After consulting with the District Attorney's Office, officers placed Maxwell into custody and lodged him at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man on two outside felony warrants after he caused a traffic disruption near the Grants Pass Shopping Center on Christmas Night. The Police Department reports officers arrested 31-year-old Dennis Alan Knight, Jr., on the west side of the shopping center near NE E Street on Wednesday at 7:18 p.m.. Police said Knight was contacted after he was reportedly jumping into traffic and yelling at vehicles at that location. A records check revealed that he was wanted on two Medford felony warrants for Probation Violation related to an arrest for failing to appear in court for Assault on a Police Officer and for Probation Violation related to failing to appear in court for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. While being taken into custody, Knight actively resisted arrest by means of physical force. He was ultimately subdued and placed in handcuffs. Officers said he displayed indicators of impairment by a narcotic stimulant. He stated he was injured and requested medical. He changed his mind when AMR was summoned. Knight was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. He was being held without bail pending transfer to the Jackson County Jail in Medford.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for multiple crimes after he was caught doing some last-minute Christmas shoplifting at Walmart The Police Department reports officers responded to a theft complaint involving 37-year-old Bradley Andrew Peckham at the store on NE Terry Lane on Tuesday evening. Police said Peckham was observed stealing items in Walmart by loss prevention. They said he left the property and was located walking away through the Fred Meyer alley. After being told multiple times that he was under arrest, he refused to stop and walked across the Grants Pass Parkway where he halted traffic. Upon arrival of additional officers, Peckham actively resisted being placed into custody so he was escorted to the ground to prevent injury. He was not hurt. Peckham was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Resisting Arrest, Escape, Disorderly Conduct, 3rd-Degree Theft and 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass. After being trespassed from Walmart, he was being held without bail

 

The Oregon State Police arrested an Albany man for driving at excessive speeds on Interstate 5 in the North Valley area on Christmas morning. According to OSP, state troopers pulled over a Mercedes CC sedan driven by 25-year-old Christopher Graham Morton in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 63 on Wednesday at 9:20 a.m.. Troopers said they responded to a citizen complaint about a vehicle driving south on the freeway from Roseburg. They stopped the car for multiple traffic violations including driving 125 miles per hour in a posted 65-mile-per-hour speed zone. The driver was also found to be driving without insurance. Due to the high likelihood the Mercedes would be broken into or stolen if left at that location, it was impounded and towed to Grants Pass. For unspecified reasons, Morton was given a courtesy ride to Three Rivers Medical Center.

 

A motorist found themself in a dangerous predicament last night when their vehicle became stuck on the railroad tracks in the Hugo area. On Thursday at 7:06 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department was dispatched to the incident on the tracks near Jess Way and Russell Road. For unknown reasons, officials said the driver veered off the roadway onto the tracks and became high-centered on the rails. After halting all train traffic, Rural Metro crews stood by until Caveman Towing removed the vehicle. There were no injuries.

 

Rural Metro Fire Department's Swift Water Rescue Team has issued an advanced "Flood Watch" alert to all residents living in low-lying areas of Josephine County. The alert is for all residents in low-lying areas as well as those living anywhere near active streams or rivers to be aware of potential flooding in the coming days. Rural Metro officials said it is unknown what impact water levels will have as it may be location-specific. As suggested by the National Weather Service, this alert extends until Monday. It is recommended that anyone in a known flood zone should plan ahead for rapidly rising water levels and take precautions now such as sandbag placement for water diversion. For more information regarding sandbags, visit "rvem.or/News/sandbags-faq."