Local News

Emergency crews tackled a structure fire and responded to a single vehicle accident Sunday.

A structure was reported to be on fire around 5:31 a.m. in the 4900 block of Happy Camp Road in Cave Junction. The Illinois Valley Fire District, Oregon Department of Forestry, and Josephine County Sheriff's Office crews were dispatched to the scene.

The fire extended into the wildland, but was successfully brought under control. An investigation into the investigation followed.

That same day at 12:06 p.m. IVFD, American Medical Response, and the Sheriff's Office responded to a single vehicle rollover accident involving a tree in the 6700 block of Takilma Road in Cave Junction.

One individual was extricated from the vehicle and transported for medical attention due to non-life-threatening injuries. The scene was subsequently handed over to the Sheriff's Office for further investigation.

 

Oregon Department of Forestry crews tackled a Butte Falls grass fire Sunday afternoon, halting forward progress by 3:45 p.m.

According to the department's Southwest Oregon District, firefighters responded to the blaze along Prospect Road. A Type 3 and two Type 2 helicopters along with multiple ground crews conducted an aggressive initial attack.

Through these efforts, the fire was held at an estimated two acres despite hot, dry, and windy conditions. Crews continued to strengthen the perimeter and secure the fire.

 

Deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a woman on assault, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct charges following an incident Thursday night.

Dispatch was notified around 10:13 p.m. that a woman was screaming, threatening people, and sitting on cars in the 25,000 block of Redwood Highway. She was described as having blonde hair, slurring her words, and sounding to be under the influence.

The suspect also spoke with dispatch, saying her car keys were being withheld, and claiming to have been abused. She soon hung up, however, then called back seconds later, still screaming and slurring her words.

The original 911 caller reported the suspect had tried to hit him and was pushing him. He didn't wish to press charges, but wanted her removed. A friend of the suspect also reported to dispatch, backing the suspect's original claim that some men she had been drinking with that night were attempting to abuse her, and that she was requesting a response from police.

Deputies arrived, secured the suspect's vehicle, and retrieved her phone, wallet, and keys. The original 911 caller then wanted to pursue charges, so law enforcement took the suspect into custody. She was lodged for Third Degree Assault, Disorderly Conduct, and Second Degree Criminal Mischief.

 

A Jacksonville man was sentenced today for tax evasion, employment tax crimes, bank fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. According to a release, Joel Matthew Caswell, 32, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison and 5 years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1,198,799.83 in restitution to the IRS. According to documents and statements made in court, Caswell owned and operated three logging and construction businesses that employed approximately 40 employees. From 2018 through 2022, Caswell withheld employment taxes from his employees’ pay and willfully failed to pay over these taxes to the IRS. Caswell attempted to evade these and other taxes by directing customers to write checks to another company or to him personally, moving business funds and lying to IRS collection officers. Separately, between 2022 and 2024, Caswell executed multiple fraud schemes that involved submitting fabricated financial records to a bank, a private lender, and the Small Business Administration to secure loans. On June 9, 2026, Caswell pleaded guilty to three counts of tax evasion, three counts of willful failure to pay over employment taxes, one count of bank fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

 

A welfare check request led to the arrest of a man wanted on a warrant for multiple drug charges.

Thursday at 4:24 p.m., the 911 caller requested a welfare check on her aunt. The family member that was supposed to care for the aunt was reported to have warrants, and the caller was afraid to go to his property as he had threatened her and their family's lives before.

Dispatch located the suspects warrant, charging him with Unlawful Possession and Delivery of Meth, Fentanyl, and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), as well as Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Officers arrived at the property in the 4200 block of Galice Road, and contacted the suspect. He was arrested and lodged for his warrant, and trespassed from the incident location for one year.

 

Oregon Department of Transportation maintenance crews will be in Ashland and Medford next week to repair cracked and rutted pavement on Oregon Highway 99.

The public should expect daytime lane closures with delays of less than 20 minutes and congestion near each work zone.

Work begins Monday the 24th from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the southbound lanes of East Main Street between Pioneer Street and Gresham Street in downtown Ashland. On Tuesday, crews will work the same time Tuesday the 25th in the northbound lanes of Lithia Way between East Main Street and Helman Street.

Crews will then work on Highway 99 between Beall Lane and Table Rock Road in Medford from Wednesday the 26th through Thursday the 27th from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Expect lane closures with pilot cars and flaggers providing traffic control.

Drivers are urged to slow down in the work zone and watch for workers and equipment in the roadway. Consider an alternate route to avoid delays and congestion. This work is weather dependent and subject to change. See TripCheck.com for the latest road conditions and closures.

 

A woman trespassed from The Market & Deli returned to the business, only to be arrested by Grants Pass Police.

The 911 Dispatch Center was contacted regarding the suspect at 7:12 p.m. She was reportedly walking behind the nearby Bottle Drop at the time of the call, but had been inside the 1070 Rogue River Highway business yelling profanities after having already been trespassed from the location earlier in the day.

The caller stated the suspect was heavily under the influence, but wasn't threatening anyone. She was wearing a green tank top and black leggings, and officers soon located her at Eddy's Burgers. Upon contact with Carly Jensen, officers took her into custody and transported her to jail for lodging on a Second Degree Trespass Charge.

 

A man called 911 Thursday morning wishing to turn himself in for a United States Marshalls Service warrant.

Dispatch was notified that the suspect, Ernest Guevarra, was walking on the side of Fruitdale Drive in the 2300 block at 11:26 a.m. He said he wanted to turn himself in, and that he was wearing gray shorts, a black shirt, and hat. He was advised to stay where he was, but he said he wanted to keep walking.

He was cooperative when arriving deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office contacted and detained him on Fruitdale near Hamilton Lane. The US Marshalls Service office in Los Angeles was contacted, and Guevarra's warrant for a Dangerous Drugs charge was confirmed.

He was subsequently taken into custody by deputies and lodged in the Adult Jail Facility for his warrant.

 

A traffic stop led to the arrest of a suspended driver early this morning.

Grants Pass Police pulled over a white SUV at the corner of W Park Street and Redwood Highway at 12:07 a.m. The driver, Jordan McFarland, was stopped for failing to obey a traffic control device, and found to be driving while suspended, a misdemeanor.

He wasn't driving for an emergent reason, and was taken into custody by officers. McFarland was transported to the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility for his Driving While Suspended charge. His vehicle was towed from the scene.