Local News

Grants Pass Police jailed a man wanted for questioning in a felony assault investigation after a chance encounter at the Bottle Drop Center yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 32-year-old Nathan James Deford at the recycling depot on Rogue River Highway on Thursday at 12:45 p.m.. Police said they were at the Bottle Drop Center for an unrelated matter when they spotted Deford and knew him from prior law enforcement contacts. They also knew that he was a suspect in a recent felony assault investigation. According to the report, Deford was acting unusual and suspicious while watching officers through the window. Officers advised him he was being detained and immediately handcuffed him as he was looking around for a way to escape. Deford was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for suspicion of Felony 2nd-Degree Assault. No information about the case was disclosed, but it occurred in 2024.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for beating up his girlfriend at a residence in the Riverbanks area last night. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a domestic disturbance in the 2600-block of Riverbanks Road on Thursday around 8:45 p.m.. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her 35-year-old boyfriend hit her twice in the face before she locked herself in a bathroom. The caller said the male subject broke into the bathroom and stood over her smiling. He also hit himself in the head with an ashtray so he could tell deputies that she hit him first. According to the report, the suspect and his male friend had been drinking, and dispatchers overheard them coordinating their stories in order to cast blame on the female victim. Upon arrival, deputies interviewed the involved parties and documented the victim's injuries. Dispatchers advised them what they heard and the suspect was placed into custody after a struggle. The suspect was transported to Grants Pass and booked into the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Menacing, Domestic Harassment and Interfering with Making a Police Report. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended two statewide fugitives on the same day this week. The Sheriff's Office report the first incident occurred late Wednesday morning when deputies arrested 32-year-old Timothy Rain Davis in the 200-block of West Watkins Street in Cave Junction. Deputies said Davis was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a robbery conviction. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. The second incident occurred on Wednesday night when deputies arrested 39-year-old Jennifer Susan Condon in the 2600-block of Williams Highway in Grants Pass. Condon was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation related to a conviction for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. She was lodged in jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

One person was injured when they rolled their vehicle in the Murphy area late yesterday. On Thursday at 4:23 p.m., Rural Metro Fire Department, Jackson County Fire District #1 and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a single-vehicle rollover crash in the 3400-block of Southside Road. Rural Metro officials said the driver was able to self-extricate from the overturned vehicle. The unidentified patient was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with unspecified injuries. The wrecked vehicle was removed from the roadway and towed into Grants Pass. The Sheriff's Office was investigating the cause of the crash. It was unclear why Jackson County Fire District #1 -- formerly the Rogue River Fire District -- responded instead of American Medical Response.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving after she caused a crash in the downtown area last night. The Police Department reports officers and emergency crews responded to the two-vehicle collision at the intersection of NW Booth and F streets on Thursday at 6:25 p.m.. Police said a 66-year-old female subject was driving a Toyota RAV-4 when she ran through a stop sign and T-boned a Toyota Prius, causing heavy damage to both vehicles and blocking traffic. A utility pole was also damaged during the incident. Officers said the woman displayed signs of impairment by alcohol and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. She was placed into custody and charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Failing to Obey a Traffic Control Device before she was cited and released. There were no injuries reported. Both vehicles were towed from the scene and Pacific Power was notified about the damaged utility pole.

 

Grants Pass Police cited a motorist after she crashed into a bicycle rider in the Redwood area early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency crews responded to the incident near the corner of Redwood Avenue and Redwood Circle on Thursday shortly after 10 a.m.. Police said an investigation determined the female driver of a Toyota Camry was heading westbound on Redwood Avenue when she turned into the Salvation Army parking lot and struck an eastbound male bicycle rider. The bicycle rider was hurt and the driver was crying when officers arrived on scene. Both elected to go to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The driver was cited for No Operator's License and Failure to Yield Right of Way. She was warned for Failure to Carry Proof of Insurance.

 

The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) raided another illegal cannabis growing operation in the Illinois Valley this week and this time the task force has identified the primary suspect. On Thursday, JMET served a search warrant in the 1,000-block of White Schoolhouse Road. The team was assisted by the Oregon Liquor & Cannabis Commission (OLCC) and Josephine County Public Health & Building Safety. The suspect in this case -- 47-year-old Sharon Margulis -- had an OLCC license for marijuana at the property, but it was used to shield the site from law enforcement actions against their illicit activity. Despite having a license for a small portion of the property, the suspect knowingly grew marijuana far outside the scope of what their license legally allowed. During execution of the warrant, approximately 200 pounds of processed cannabis and 400 marijuana plants were seized and destroyed. The site also had multiple electrical, water and solid waste code violations that could result in the criminal forfeiture of the property. While authorities were on scene, they identified Margulis as the primary suspect, although they were not there at the time of the search. Charges of Unlawful Manufacture and Possession of Marijuana as well as Unlawful Appropriation of Water have been forwarded to the District Attorney's Office.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for outstanding warrants and other crimes after he attempted to elude deputies near Wilderville this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies eventually arrested 42-year-old Robert Dwight Elling on or near Fish Hatchery Road late Wednesday night. Deputies said they were performing a patrol check at Griffin Park when a black sedan with two people inside went out onto the gravel bar, turned around and sped away south on Riverbanks Road to Redwood Highway to Old Redwood Highway to Fish Hatchery Road. The pursuit reached speeds of over 90 miles per hour. With assistance from the Oregon State Police, the eluding car was successfully spiked at the end of Riverbanks and its tires started losing air. Elling tried to bail out of the disabled vehicle, but he was placed into custody. Elling was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a recent conviction for drug possession and a Yolo County, California, warrant for drug possession. Elling was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrants plus new charges of Felony and Misdemeanor Attempt to Elude Police, Reckless Driving and Reckless Endangering. His California-registered vehicle was impounded. His female passenger was given a courtesy ride to her home.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for domestic violence and an outstanding warrant in the Fish Hatchery area this week. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 300-block of Dexter Way on Wednesday night. Deputies said the property owner called 9-1-1 to report that their adult son was out of control. The caller said the 35-year-old male subject had a club in his hand and screamed that he was going to hit them with it. Fortunately, no one was injured. Upon arrival, deputies set up a perimeter around the residence that contained the suspect, his wife and a child. When he spotted law enforcement, he turned off the outside lights and retreated into the back part of the home. He eventually gave up and was placed into custody. The suspect was found to be wanted on a Grants Pass Police Department warrant for failing to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct. He was lodged in jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Domestic Menacing.