Local News

The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center fielded hundreds of calls for local emergency responders over the past week. According to the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center's weekly post on Facebook, a total of 1,286 emergency calls were received between August 29th and September 4th. The Grants Pass Police Department received the vast majority of the calls with 932, followed by American Medical Response with 351 and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue with 108. Rural Metro Fire Department received 68 calls while the Illinois Valley Fire District received 34, the Oregon Department of Forestry received 18 and the Williams Rural Fire Protection District got five. Local fire departments had another busy week with structure fires including two mutual aid requests. One was a mutual aid in Rogue River and the second was a strike team activation to Ashland. Dispatchers also received a total of 565 internal calls and they made a total of 623 outbound calls.

 

A long-time law enforcement administrator in Southern Oregon has stepped down. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office celebrated the retirement of Finance Director Sue Watkins last week. Watkins worked for the Jackson County Sheriff's Office for the last 12 years. Sue spent the previous 19 years working for the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. She worked for six different Sheriff's during her 31-year career in public service. One of Watkins' many career accomplishments was playing a pivotal role in securing grant funding for the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET), which works to eradicate black-market cannabis in Jackson County. Thank you, Sue Watkins, for your many years of dedicated service to local law enforcement. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement. You will be missed.

 

Lower temperatures overnight limited activity and spread of two new wildfires burning in southern Douglas County. The Douglas Forest Protective Association (DFPA) estimated this morning that the Devil's Knob Fire burning along the Tiller-Trail Highway was between 1,200 and 1,500 acres. It was first reported to DFPA on Thursday at 2:10 p.m.. Crews continued to engage in the initial attack, with additional resources expected to arrive today. Due to a smoke inversion, air attack was unable to survey the area during this morning's flyover. Due to proximity of homes in the area, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office issued Level 1 "Be Ready" evacuation notices on the east side of Tiller-Trail Highway between addresses 3400 and 36760 as well as Tison Road, Diamond Elk Road and the Joe Hall area. DFPA estimated this morning that the Milepost 98 Fire along the west side of Interstate 5 south of Canyonville was 120 acres including a 20-acre spot fire southwest of the primary blaze. It was first reported on Thursday at 5:15 p.m. after being sparked by a motor vehicle accident in the southbound lanes of I-5. Crews worked diligently overnight, creating indirect bulldozer and hand-lines around the fire's perimeters. Due to this morning's smoke inversion, air attack could not survey the area. Evacuations continue to be in place in coordination with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. A Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation order was issued for all homes on Ritchie Road in Canyonville. A Level 2 "Be Set" notice was issued for all homes on Canyon Creek Road. Traffic continues to be controlled on Interstate 5 in both directions from milepost 97 to 98 for public and firefighter safety. Motorists are urged to watch for crews and equipment.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for domestic violence as well as an outstanding warrant in the south part of the city last night. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the 1800-block of Drury Lane on Thursday around 8:20 p.m.. Police said a man called 9-1-1 and reported that his female tenant and her male friend were possibly assaulted by the woman's 64-year-old ex-boyfriend. The landlord wanted to know about assault and battery laws in the state of Oregon. Officers arrived on scene and determined the ex-boyfriend subjected the woman to offensive physical contact, which caused pain, swelling, bruising and scrapes. The subject also prevented the victim from calling 9-1-1 by taking her phone. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault, Domestic Harassment and Interfering with Making a Police Report along with a GPPD warrant for failing to appear in court for impaired driving. The victim was reluctant to speak with law enforcement. She was referred to the Women's Crisis Support Team.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man wanted for a previous law enforcement pursuit while adding a charge of drug possession and referring a charge of bribery. The Police Department reports officers arrested a 33-year-old male subject they identified as "Terry Lee Grigsby" in the 1800-block of Nebraska Avenue on Thursday at 3:21 p.m.. Police said Grigsby had previously eluded them and they spotted his black BMW before placing him into custody. During a consent search, they found him to be in possession of a white crystal substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. During the booking process at the Josephine County Jail, Grigsby reportedly offered the arresting officer gifts in return for a special recommendation for his release. Grigsby was lodged in jail for probable cause of Felony Attempt to Elude Police, Reckless Driving and Meth Possession. A charge of Bribery was referred to the District Attorney's Office for consideration.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man on three out-of-county warrants last night after a brief pursuit in the south part of the city. Police officers said they received a report of suspicious activity on Union Avenue near Williams Highway on Thursday at 9:23 p.m.. Police said a citizen reported a male subject walking around and yelling, stating that he had been hit by a car and left for dead. The caller said the man screamed that he wanted "everyone to die in Grants Pass." When the 60-year-old man spotted arriving officers, he ran toward Williams Highway and caused at least one vehicle to slow down to avoid hitting him. After the man fell into some bushes near Planet Fitness, he got up and ran across the highway to Walgreens where he was eventually placed into custody. The subject -- identified as 60-year-old Michael David Jackson -- was wanted on two Jackson County warrants for Menacing and Criminal Trespass plus a warrant out of Ashland for Disorderly Conduct. According to the report, Jackson said he ran because he thought it was funny. Officers disagreed and lodged Jackson in the Josephine County Jail on the warrants along with new charges of Disorderly Conduct and Escape.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for drug possession and possibly vehicle theft after a traffic stop in the northwest part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a 2013 Honda Civic driven by a 46-year-old male subject near the corner of NW Conklin Avenue and Savage Street on Thursday around 11:35 a.m.. Police said the Honda had been reported stolen by the Josephine County Sheriff's Office and the subject matched the description of the thief. However, officers were unable to make contact with the registered owner. The man GPPD identified as "Russell Gene Thompson" consented to a search of the car and officers located two glass pipes with methamphetamine residue. The drug paraphernalia was seized for destruction and the suspect was arrested. Thompson was lodged in jail for Meth Possession, he was cited for Driving While Suspended and he was warned for No Seatbelt. The stolen car was recovered and a report was sent to the Sheriff's Office for further investigation. Custody of the suspect's dog was given to a friend.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing merchandise from Fred Meyer and unsuccessfully trying to disguise himself late yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a shoplifting call at the store on the Grants Pass Parkway on Thursday shortly after 5 p.m.. Police said a Fred Meyer loss prevention officer reported a male shoplifting suspect fled on foot after stealing more than $100 worth of items. The caller gave a detailed description of the suspect and said he was heading toward Abby's Pizza. Officers entered Abby's and customers told them the suspect was hiding in the restroom. That's where he was located with his T-shirt turned inside out. Stolen property including duffel bags, socks and food items were recovered. The 35-year-old suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft. He was also trespassed from Fred Meyer.

 

The Oregon State Police was investigating the cause of a motor vehicle accident that occurred in downtown Cave Junction early yesterday. OSP reports state troopers, the Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to the two-vehicle crash on Redwood Highway at Lister Street on Thursday at about 6:45 a.m.. Arriving units found one vehicle blocking the highway and the other vehicle out of the roadway. It appeared that one of the vehicles ran into the back of the other. AMR evaluated all occupants at the scene and no one was seriously injured. Both vehicles were towed from the crash scene. OSP was conducting the investigation.