Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man early yesterday for stealing a cell phone from an artist hired by the city to paint a mural near a downtown parking lot. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the theft complaint at the Owl Parking Lot near the corner of SW 5th and H streets on Tuesday around 7:20 a.m.. Police said the artist had her phone stolen from the top of her car while she was filming herself painting the new owl mural. Officers were able to track the phone to Kesterson Park where they located 44-year-old Donn Reeves Fincher. He gave back the phone, but was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and a pipe. According to the report, Fincher was reported to be accessing numerous vehicles throughout the morning but no callers reported anything stolen. More property that he admitted was not his was found, but he would not say where he took it from. Fincher was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Theft, Meth Possession and the resulting Probation Violation related to past arrests for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon and Meth Possession. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for trying to break into an electric vehicle that was being charged at Walmart. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a report of suspicious activity at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Monday night. Police said 43-year-old Mason Tyler Suehs accessed the right rear door of a Volkswagen sedan while it was on the electric vehicle charger. They said he attempted to grab a computer bag from the rear seat floorboard, but stopped when he was confronted by the vehicle owner. Officers contacted Suehs who admitted to accessing the vehicle, but stated he thought it was his friend's car. However, he was unable to provide the name or any information for the "friend" he mentioned. Suehs was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested an out-of-compliance sex offender last night during a patrol check at a downtown resting site. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 36-year-old Jonathan Michael Bull at the NW 5th Street homeless encampment at 8:36 p.m. Tuesday. Police said Bull and a woman identified as "Shani Fedosky" were found to be in violation of ordinances regulating Buffer Zone and Scattering Rubbish. Both were cited and trespassed from the resting site for 30 days. Bull was found to be out of compliance with his sex offender registry. He admitted to living at the resting site for longer than 10 days without updating his address from Baker Park. He was lodged in jail for Felony Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and was being held without bail. Also at the 5th Street resting site, officers cited Thaddeus Plumber and John Cook, III, for Scattering Rubbish. Several abandoned tents and some drug paraphernalia were removed for disposal. Meanwhile, GPPD reported that two people were trespassed from the 6th & A Street resting site for repeat violations as were three people from Baker Park.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for multiple crimes after he crashed a stolen vehicle in the Sunny Valley area and injured his female passenger. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 31-year-old Daniel Thomas Crisel for the incident on Angora Creek Road near the 7700-block of Lower Grave Creek Road on Monday afternoon. Deputies said an investigation determined that Crisel was driving a Toyota pickup when the vehicle went off the roadway and struck a tree. It took emergency first responders 30 minutes to reach the remote location that had no cell phone service. A third occupant in the crumpled truck was able to use text messaging to alert the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center. Upon arrival, deputies and medical personnel found a female passenger bleeding from the head and going in and out of consciousness. She was rushed by American Medical Response ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center where the trauma system was activated. Crisel was not seriously hurt. The investigation determined that the 1991 Toyota pickup he was driving had been reported stolen by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. He was placed into custody and transported to Grants Pass. Crisel was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 3rd-Degree Assault, Felony Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering and Driving While Suspended. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man for breaking into a Cave Junction residence and assaulting a woman while stealing tools and other items. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a disturbance at a home in the 300-block of Stevenson Street on Monday morning. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report a man she identified as 62-year-old Donald Ray McIntosh went into her garden and ripped plants out of the ground before illegally entering her house. Once inside, the suspect allegedly grabbed her by the face and slammed her into the floor. She declined medical attention. According to the report, the victim told dispatchers she was missing tools and other miscellaneous items from her property. Upon arrival, deputies interviewed the woman, located McIntosh and placed him into custody. He was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Burglary, Felony 1st-Degree Theft and 4th-Degree Assault. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man and woman who were involved in a domestic disturbance in the southeast part of the city this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 33-year-old Nestor Salazar and 29-year-old Erica Maria Chavez after responding to the incident on Cloverlawn Drive late Monday night. Police said an investigation determined Salazar subjected his girlfriend -- Sanchez -- to unwanted physical contact and was placed into custody. The suspect then intentionally caused damage to the interior door of a patrol vehicle with his knees and feet. Several large dents and other damage will cost more than $500 to repair. Salazar was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Harassment and 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail. During the investigation, officers discovered that Sanchez was wanted on a Multnomah County felony warrant for Unlawful Use of a Weapon. She was placed into custody and lodged in jail without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a felon for multiple crimes after he returned to a south Grants Pass property from which he had been trespassed. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a trespassing complaint in the 3100-block of Williams Highway on Monday. Deputies said the property owner called 9-1-1 to report that 46-year-old Dallas Lee Silva had been evicted a couple of months ago, but he returned and was watching the main house. The man had a pit bull dog with him, so the caller and a family member were not comfortable getting out of their vehicle. A records check showed that Silva was evicted by the Sheriff's Office in March, served time in prison and was back on the property without permission. He was placed into custody and found to be in possession of methamphetamine. Silva was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass, Meth Possession and Driving While Suspended plus Felony Parole Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District and Oregon Department of Forestry extinguished a small vegetation fire near Cave Junction early yesterday. On Tuesday at 10:34 a.m., IVFD and ODF crews were dispatched to the incident in the 25,800-block of Redwood Highway just outside Kerby. Arriving units discovered a small area along the highway was burning. The fire was quickly contained and extinguished at approximately 1/100th of an acre. IVFD officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

 

Citizens of all ages are invited to join local astronomer Joe Stodola from the Grants Pass Astronomers Club this week for a program at the branches of Josephine Community Library. The program will cover the basics of astronomy, the wonders of the Moon and the science of Earth-crossing asteroids. Are these asteroids truly a threat? How are they tracked? Discover the science behind the headlines in this informative and captivating session. Following a program held Tuesday in Williams, the schedule is 4 to 5 p.m. today at the Grants Pass branch, noon to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Illinois Valley branch and noon to 1 p.m. Friday at the Wolf Creek branch. "Among the Stars" is part of the 2025 Summer Reading Program. The theme is "Level Up at Your Library." It's sponsored by Evergreen Federal Bank, Josephine Community Library Foundation, Oregon Pacific Financial Advisors and the State Library of Oregon. For more information about the Summer Reading Program, other library programs and services, visit "josephinelibrary.org," email "info@josephinelibrary.org" or call (541)-476-0571.