Local News

A 9-1-1 investigation led Grants Pass Police to a local fugitive at a fast food eatery yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers arrested a 41-year-old male subject at the Taco Bell on NE Terry Lane on Tuesday at 3:42 p.m.. Police said a man they identified as "Rell Allen Baty" was located at Taco Bell after a hang-up call associated with his cell phone was pinged in the area. They said his information was run through dispatch and there was a valid warrant for his arrest through GPPD. Baty was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Unlawful Use of a Weapon. The warrant was confirmed and his corrections officer was contacted. Baty was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus the resulting Felony Parole Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

A Cave Junction man was injured yesterday when he wrecked his sport utility vehicle on Redwood Highway at Hayes Hill. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle crash near milepost 15.5 of US Highway 199 at 3:55 p.m. Tuesday. Troopers said the 67-year-old man was driving a Hyundai Kona southbound when he failed to negotiate a curve and collided with the embankment on the north shoulder. According to OSP, the man was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment of unspecified injuries. His wrecked SUV was hauled into Grants Pass by Bulldog Towing.

 

The Medford Police Department was investigating a weekend incident in which an intruder was fatally shot by a resident during an apparent break-in. Medford police officers were dispatched to an apartment complex on Berrydale Road last Saturday evening following a report of an unknown individual trying to force entry into an apartment. Within minutes, a second call was received reporting gunshots at that location. Upon arrival, officers located a deceased male subject with gunshot wounds. According to MPD, a preliminary investigation indicates that the deceased male had forced entry into the apartment and was advancing toward a resident with a knife when another resident fired their gun in self-defense. The deceased has not yet been identified pending the ongoing investigation.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for two felony-level crimes after he was caught with a stolen U-Haul trailer this week. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a blue Chevrolet pickup pulling the stolen trailer in the 1700-block of NW Hawthorne Avenue late Monday night. Police said they stopped the 48-year-old male driver of the vehicle for traffic violations and discovered that he was in possession of a U-Haul trailer that he had just stolen off the lot at the corner of NW Vine Street and Hawthorne Avenue. Officers took the man they identified as "Ralph Francis Chiampi, III" into custody. News archives show the suspect has a lengthy local criminal history. Chiampi was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. He was initially being held without bail, but was released early yesterday due to "beyond available resources." The stolen trailer was hauled back to its owner by 3 Boys Towing.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a felon for vandalizing flower pots outside a downtown florist shop this week. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the reported incident at Grants Pass Florist & Gifts on SW 6th Street on Monday evening. Police said a 29-year-old male subject was observed destroying ceramic flower pots outside the business. They said he was actively vandalizing the pots and making a large mess in the area. Upon arrival, the subject tried to flee from officers -- but they were able to place him into custody. He was found to be a convicted felon, so officers contacted his corrections officer. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show the man has been arrested for violating his parole a total of 12 times since August 2023.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a well-known offender for suspicion of setting a fire near the Gospel Rescue Mission. The Police Department reports officers arrested the 31-year-old female subject at Debo Park on SW G Street Monday evening. Police said a trusted witness told them that "Whitney Ann Word" attempted to start a fire on railroad property near the mission on Monday morning. They said there was evidence someone tried to start a fire, but they were unsuccessful. Word was placed into custody at the city park and taken to the Josephine County Jail where she was booked for Felony 2nd-Degree Arson and 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief. She was being held without bail.

 

Firefighters from several agencies extinguished two fires on neighboring properties in the Provolt area late yesterday. Late Tuesday afternoon, the Applegate Valley Fire District, Rural Metro Fire Department, Williams Rural Fire Protection District and Oregon Department of Forestry responded to the incidents in the 10,000-block of Williams Highway. Applegate Valley fire officials said crews arrived to find a small barn destroyed by fire and being partially suppressed by neighbors who initially made the report. The first fire was contained at about 1/4-acre of vegetation. While putting out the first fire, a second fire on the neighboring mutual property was discovered and contained at 1/10th of an acre. ODF and the Josephine County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation after no responsible party or landowner was located. The cause of the fires is undetermined. The Applegate Valley Fire District thanks its mutual aid partners for their support.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on a proposed development in the North Valley area during its weekly business session this morning. Following the hearing, the Board will consider the first reading of an ordinance that would amend the comprehensive plan from Forest to Residential and amend the zoning map from Woodlot Resource to Rural Residential, 5-acre minimum. The property owner is KND Development, LLC. If approved by the Board, the second reading and adoption of the ordinance is scheduled for September 11th. There are no other action items on the agenda. During Requests and Comments from Citizens, participants are given three minutes to address the Commissioners on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Today's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

The Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement (MADGE) team has announced that the City of Eagle Point will be joining the regional task force. Eagle Point is contributing a full-time investigator from its Police Department to enhance drug enforcement operations throughout Jackson County. Medford Police Lieutenant Kerry Curtis said they are very excited to add the Eagle Point Police Department to the MADGE task force. He said the addition of EPD will continue to expand their knowledge of illicit drug activity in the community. So far in 2024, MADGE has seized 138 pounds of methamphetamine, six pounds of cocaine, 12 pounds of fentanyl pills and four pounds of fentanyl powder along with 46 firearms and more than $90,000 in cash. Eagle Point Police Chief Jim Hamilton said his agency is excited to be accepted as a member of MADGE. He said they look forward to being part of the team and helping to address the drug abuse crisis plaguing communities in Southern Oregon. MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts and dismantles local, multi-state and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, prosecutor-supported approach.