JoCo Sheriff's Deputies Arrested Transient after Axe and Fire Incident
Josephine County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a trespassing man that started a fire at the corner of Redwood Highway and Lakeshore Drive.
On Tuesday around 10:19 a.m., a man called and reported to dispatch there was a transient on the property down in the brush that had lit a fire. When the man went to check on the fire, the transient came at him with an axe.
Oregon State Police were notified of the situation, but due to the location being off the road way, the Sheriff's Office was then advised. The caller said deputies had responded to the same suspect and location the week prior.
The transient left the scene on a dark colored bicycle heading southbound on Highway 199, but was soon contacted by deputies. The fire at the scene was extinguished, and the suspect, Ryan Jantz, was taken into custody.
He was transported and lodged for a charge of Menacing at the Josephine County Jail.
Posted on 2/25/26 1:07PM by Alex Bauer
