Local News

Grants Pass Police jailed a felon for drug and weapon crimes while placing his female companion in the local deflection program early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to perform a welfare check on a man and woman in the WinCo Foods parking lot on Tuesday at 9:10 p.m.. Police said 35-year-old Matthew Moats and 20-year-old Alexandria Millwood were reported to be slumped over in a Toyota Camry near the supermarket exit with drug paraphernalia in plain view. Upon contact, Moats told officers the drug in use was methamphetamine and he was found to be in possession of a knife with a centrifugal-force blade during a consent search. He was confirmed to be a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing drugs or weapons. Both were seized as evidence. Moats was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon and Meth Possession. He was being held without bail. Millwood was offered the deflection program instead of jail and she accepted. The car keys and two dogs in the vehicle were left with her.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a well-known offender for his erratic behavior in a northwest neighborhood yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers placed 44-year-old Nicholas John Knox Knowles into custody in the 700-block of NW 2nd Street on Tuesday at 12:52 p.m.. Police said they contacted Knowles after two citizens advised they were alarmed when they observed him removing his clothing, yelling to himself and entering people's yards. Knowles was contacted on the back patio of a residence where he had his shirt off and was holding an empty beer can. His corrections officer was contacted and he requested his client be placed on a detainer. Knowles was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. He was being held without bail. Jail records show Knowles has been arrested for violating his parole nine times since June of last year.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for drug possession at the Josephine County Community Corrections Office late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 40-year-old Tera Mae Core at the corrections office on NW 4th Street on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.. Police said Core's corrections officer patted her down during a scheduled check-in and found her to be in possession of a crystal-like substance that she admitted was methamphetamine. The meth was seized for destruction. Core was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession and Probation Violation. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

Police arrested a woman on an outside felony warrant last night during a welfare check near the Grants Pass Shopping Center. According to GPPD, officers contacted 27-year-old Sarena Lynn Dukart in the 500-block of NE Anderson Street on Tuesday shortly after 9 p.m.. Police said they responded to reports of a female subject slumped over the steering wheel of a Volkswagen Jetta parked at that location. The callers said the passenger door was open, but there was no one else in or near the vehicle. They requested a welfare check and expressed concerns the woman might try to drive the car. Upon contact with Dukart, officers discovered that she was wanted on a Lane County felony warrant for absconding on her probation for an unspecified crime. Dukart was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a wrong-way motorist for violating a court order early yesterday in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Ford F-150 pickup driven by 43-year-old Jesse Bruce Sweet near the corner of NE 6th Street and Hillcrest Drive on Tuesday around 12:45 a.m.. Police said they stopped Sweet after they observed him traveling north on southbound 6th Street. They said he is not from this area and his wife was identified as his passenger. A records check revealed that Sweet's wife was legally protected from him in a valid court order through Coos County. Sweet was placed into custody and lodged in jail without bail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Cave Junction man on outstanding warrants during a Redwood Highway traffic stop in Selma late yesterday. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a BMW 525 driven by 21-year-old Austin Lee McClanahan near milepost 19 of US Highway 199 around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday. Troopers said they stopped McClanahan for a traffic violation and discovered that he was wanted on two local warrants for failing to appear in court for Attempt to Elude Police, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Suspended Driving. McClanahan was transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail on the warrants. He was being held on $35,000 bail and his BMW was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for trespassing twice at a local retailer over the past few days. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 31-year-old Kody Tyler Halverson on the Grants Pass Parkway near Fred Meyer on Tuesday at 10:32 p.m.. Police said Halverson had been trespassed from Fred Meyer in October, but he returned to the store on two separate occasions this week. On Sunday morning, he walked through the parking lot and officers were unable to locate him. Last night, he was observed inside the store near the electronics department. Both incidents were captured on video surveillance and Halverson was wearing the same clothing. After being contacted last night, he admitted to being at the store. Halverson was lodged in jail without bail for two counts of 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. His trespass warning was updated.

 

A White City bicyclist was struck and killed by a vehicle in rural Central Point early yesterday. Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon Dispatch received a call from the involved driver about the accident on Foothill Road near Corey Road on Tuesday at 4:44 a.m.. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports deputies, Jackson County Fire District #3 and Mercy Flights responded. The bicyclist -- 45-year-old Matthew Edward Davenport -- was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and pronounced deceased at 5:42 a.m.. Next-of-kin has been notified. The Jackson County Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team responded to investigate the incident. The preliminary investigation indicates a southbound 2021 Toyota 4-Runner struck the bicyclist on the shoulder of Foothill Road. The driver is cooperating with the investigation and no criminal charges have been filed at this time. The STAR Team consists of investigators from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Medford Police Department, Central Point Police Department and Jackson County District Attorney's Office.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant this week following a foot pursuit through the downtown area. The Police Department reports officers eventually arrested 33-year-old Derek Miguel Withrow at the A-1 Market & Deli on SW G Street on Monday night. Police said the incident began when a woman called 9-1-1 to report that Withrow punched her in the face, he had a gun and was threatening to shoot another man. The woman refused to identify herself and she did not have any observed injuries. Withrow was found to be wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for a weapons offense. He was spotted at SE 7th and K streets, but fled on foot when officers attempted to contact him. Withrow ran through downtown, was located inside the market and surrendered peacefully after being challenged with an arrest team and K-9 officer. Withrow was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrant. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.