Local News

A man causing a disturbance downtown was apprehended by Grants Pass Police.

On Thursday at 3:01 p.m., officers located the suspect, Jeremy Scrape, at the corner of NW 6th Street and NE E Street. He was obstructing traffic in the area.. Scrape was held at taser point before being taken into custody.

Officers transported Scrape to the Josephine County Jail. He was lodged for Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree. His belongings were logged for safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man known to have an active warrant out for his arrest Thursday.

At 11:11 a.m., officers detained James Hall after recognizing him at the Newman United Methodist Church at 132 NE B Street. He was wanted on a warrant charging him with Second Degree Criminal Trespass. Hall was read his rights, after which he then admitted to possessing methamphetamine.

A consent search of Hall's person and property was conducted. Officers located loose meth, as well as a glass pipe that field tested positive for the presumptive presence of meth.

After contacting Hall's Parole Officer, a detainer was requested. Officers transported and lodged Hall in the Josephine County Jail for his warrant, the detainer, and a Meth Possession charge.

 

Around 7 a.m. this morning, Medford Fire Department responded to a garage fire at a residence in the 3500 block of Juanipero Way.

Thanks to quick actions by neighbors and the rapid response from MFD, the fire was quickly knocked down, helping limit further damage. One patient was transported by Mercy Flights, and firefighters were able to safely remove two family pets without injury.

Deputy Fire Marshals remained on the scene and are working to determine the origin and cause of the fire. There were no traffic impacts, and units cleared the scene.

 

The Grants Pass City Council will meet Monday morning for their workshop, beginning with interviews of Budget Committee candidates.

The next item on the agenda is reaffirm budget policy and future financial outlook. The council will then appoint a Councilor to the First Forty Feet Citizen Advisory Committee.

Following an agenda review, including Parks Advisory Committee motions, business meetings, and the calendar, the workshop will adjourn.

The City Council Workshop will begin at 11:45 a.m. in Council Chambers, 101 NW A Street, and will be streamed at grantspassoregon.gov.

 

The Temporary Board of Other Elective Administrative Officers met for the first time this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Comprised of Sheriff Dave Daniel, Surveyor Peter Allen, Clerk Rhiannon Henkels, Treasurer Dustin Calvo, Legal Counsel Wally Hicks, and Assessor Chris Parton, the board selected Calvo as the chair. Discussion of the process for appointing the two vacancies to the Board of County Commissioners followed. Hicks recommended appointing both positions based on the transferal of authority to appoint following the lack of quorum. Position 2 would be appointed first, followed by Position 1, with the Temporary Board drawing from the same pool of applicants. Human Resources will open applications through NEOGOV online Friday, January 30th, and advertise in the paper as soon as possible. The application period will run through until Sunday, February 8th at midnight. Hicks volunteered to approve the vacancy postings, which was unanimously favored. Aspects the Temporary Board will look for in applicants are work experience, leadership, communication, collaboration, computer skills, teamwork, and an educational background. Applications sent in by February 5th will be emailed to the Temporary Board members for review that day, followed by the remaining applications sent to the board by February 9th.

 

Oregon State Police troopers responded to a single vehicle crash on Highway 260 at milepost 21 Wednesday night.

A black Chevy Cobalt was traveling westbound at about 45 miles per hour when a deer entered the travel lane. The driver swerved to avoid the deer, but lost control and struck a large boulder on the right side of the roadway.

Troopers arrived at the scene around 10:57 p.m. The vehicle was found to have front end damage and was towed. The driver sustained minor injuries and was transported by AMR to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment.

 

A woman reported to dispatch that she had been pepper sprayed Wednesday evening.

At 6:05 p.m., the victim said she and her animals had been sprayed with mace by the suspect, Jeremiah Littleton, a few hours prior. She said he was still at the property in the 300 block of Tunnel Creek Road.

The woman wanted to press charges. She wasn't sure where Littleton was on the property, but told dispatch she was inside her home with the doors locked.

Deputies arrived at the scene and contacted Littleton. He was taken into custody and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for Harassment, and an Aggravated Assault charge.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies responded to a restraining order violation Wednesday afternoon.

A man came home to his property in the 800 block of Cienaga Lane to find the woman he had a restraining order against inside. She had reportedly showered, brought her dogs, and was laying in the man's bed around 4:12 p.m.

He wasn't sure how she gained access to his home, but he reported to dispatch that she might be intoxicated. Deputies arrived at the property and contacted the suspect, Deborah Hanson, who had entered the home knowingly despite the restraining order.

Deputies took Hanson into custody and transported her to the Josephine County Jail. She was lodged for Contempt of Court.

 

A call came in to dispatch requesting someone be trespassed from a home Wednesday.

The caller said they could hear someone by their garage around 11:45 p.m. in the 1,000 block of NE D Street. While the caller couldn't see the person, it sounded like the suspect was trying to get into a vehicle.

If anyone was found on the property by law enforcement, the caller requested the suspect be trespassed. Upon arrival, Grants Pass Police located Brittany Demars hiding behind a pickup. Probable cause was found for charges of First Degree Trespass and Third Degree Theft against her.

Officers warned Demars for trespassing and took her into custody. She was lodged in the Josephine County Jail on her charges.