Local News

The Oregon Department of Forestry and its partners extinguished two grass fires that broke out in western Jackson County yesterday. On Tuesday afternoon, ODF and Jackson County Fire District #3 responded to a grass fire near the intersection of Lane Creek and Old Stage roads between Gold Hill and Central Point. Crews engaged in an initial aggressive attack that included two helicopters and an air attack platform. Firefighters had the majority of the fire knocked down by 3:40 p.m.. By 4:05 p.m., crews had knocked down all the flames and were working on mop-up operations. The cause of the two-acre fire was under investigation. Late Tuesday afternoon, ODF and Jackson County Fire District #1 responded to a grass fire in the 4,000-block of West Evans Creek Road north of the City of Rogue River. Numerous resources were deployed including a Type 2 helicopter out of Grants Pass. Due to fast progress on the incident, the helicopter was canceled. The blaze was knocked down at 1/10th of an acre and the cause was under investigation.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended two men wanted on statewide felony warrants during separate incidents yesterday. The Police Department reports the first incident occurred on Tuesday at 2:04 a.m. when officers arrested 40-year-old Glen Everett Porter during a traffic stop at SE M and 8th streets. Police said Porter was riding a bicycle with no light. They placed him into custody when it was discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for 4th-Degree Assault. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. The second incident occurred on Tuesday at 11:53 a.m. when officers contacted 38-year-old Christopher Michael Anthony at Morrison Centennial Park on Rogue River Highway. Police said Anthony was working on his truck in the park and a routine records check showed that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation related to a 2023 conviction for Larceny. He was placed into custody and also lodged in jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on a local felony warrant late yesterday during a patrol check at a city park. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 38-year-old Jordan Ellis Haas at Morrison Centennial Park on Tuesday around 4:20 p.m.. Police said they spotted Haas and knew that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation related to a 2024 conviction for Forgery. He was placed into custody without incident. Haas was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man on local warrants yesterday after a traffic stop in the north part of the city. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Buick Regal driven by 60-year-old Clint Edward Robertson near the intersection of NE 7th Street and Morgan Lane on Tuesday at 12:38 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped Robertson for traffic violations and learned that he was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was also wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for an unspecified criminal allegation. Robertson was lodged at the Josephine County jail on the warrants. His 62-year-old female passenger was forced to find another ride when his car was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested two men on outstanding warrants in Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports the first incident occurred when deputies responded to a disturbance at a home in the 800-block of Ridge Vista Drive on Tuesday around 7:15 a.m.. Deputies said a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her brother -- 41-year-old Gabriel Alexander Sandlin -- was acting aggressively and talking about "demons" while visiting their parents. It was discovered that Sandlin was wanted on a Sutherlin Police Department warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was arrested, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. The second incident happened when deputies contacted 47-year-old Joseph David Ainsworth in the 200-block of South Redwood Highway on Tuesday at 7:38 p.m.. Deputies said they were on patrol when they spotted Ainsworth and knew that he was wanted on two Josephine County warrants. One was for failing to appear in court for Theft, Criminal Trespass and Methamphetamine Possession while the other was for failing to appear in court for Theft and Criminal Trespass. He was arrested, transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on a local warrant while performing a welfare check in the downtown area early yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident near the corner of NE C and 7th streets on Tuesday at about 2 a.m.. Police said they were alerted to a female subject slumped over at that location. They contacted 25-year-old Braylyn Marie McElmurry who was "on the nod" in the middle of the roadway. She was found to be wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Disorderly Conduct, Attempted Escape and Fentanyl Possession. McElmurry was placed into custody and lodged in jail on the outstanding warrant.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a California man for stealing a vehicle from a Los Angeles rental company at a north-city motel early today. According to OSP, troopers located an unoccupied Dodge Caravan in the Motel 6 parking lot off NE 7th Street at 1:18 this morning. Troopers had been alerted that 34-year-old Andrew Charles Lake of Long Beach, California, had failed to return the minivan to Travelers Autobarn Campervan Rentals in LA. They tracked him down in a motel room and detained him. Lake was cited to appear in a Los Angeles County courtroom on felony charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. The rental company was notified and the stolen van was towed away.

 

A Josephine County man was jailed on a nationwide warrant alleging that he committed multiple sex crimes with a juvenile in Texas. On August 12th, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office was contacted by the United States Marshals Service regarding a fugitive wanted for four sex crimes stemming from an Oregon State Police Major Crimes investigation. The fugitive -- 22-year-old Gabriel Isaac Frank Harrison -- was believed to be residing in Josephine County, so detectives from the Sheriff's Office and the US Marshals Service began their collaborative investigation to verify his location. As a result of the joint investigation, detectives conducted surveillance operations on the suspect's address. They moved in and safely apprehended Harrison without incident on August 13th. Harrison was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant which includes charges of Sexual Performance of a Child, Online Solicitation of a Minor and two counts of Injury to a Minor. He will be extradited to Texas where he will face prosecution for the mentioned crimes. The investigation is ongoing.

 

A Josephine County grand jury has indicted a man suspected of committing numerous commercial burglaries. The Grants Pass Police Department is now asking for help finding him. Between September 2024 and January 2025, Grants Pass Police investigated several commercial burglaries in the city. Not only were the businesses broken into, but items valued between $100 and $1,000 were taken and property was intentionally damaged. Businesses identified as victims in the burglary spree included Bi-Mart, Cash Connection, Highland Market, Rogue Fly Shop, Batteries Plus Bulb, M Street Market, Lucky Duck on Redwood Avenue, Farmers Building Supply, Don's Bike Center and Fields Home Improvement. During the months-long investigation, 33-year-old Anthony Boyd Mooney was identified as the suspect. Last week, a grand jury heard testimony and indicted Mooney on 12 counts of 2nd-Degree Burglary, five counts of 1st-Degree Theft, 11 counts of 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief and seven counts of 2nd-Degree Theft. Anthony Mooney has several warrants for his arrest, but his whereabouts is currently unknown. Anyone with information on his location should contact their local law enforcement agency to facilitate his arrest.