Local News

The Grants Pass Police Department is asking residents to observe a moment of silence this week to honor the police officers and their families who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their communities and nation. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as "National Peace Officers Memorial Day" and the calendar week in which May 15th falls as "National Police Week." Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. National Police Week is a collaborative effort of many organizations dedicated to honoring America's law enforcement community. On Tuesday morning, the Grants Pass Police Department, Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police paid tribute to six fallen local officers in a special ceremony on the steps of the Josephine County Courthouse.

 

The Board of Commissioners is holding four public hearings tomorrow morning on the second readings and adoptions of ordinances that will change the Josephine County Code. Three of the ordinances are repealing chapters concerning the Southern Oregon Library Information System, Law Enforcement Data System and Public Works Revolving Fund because the County no longer participates in those programs. The fourth ordinance will amend the chapter regarding the County's Law Library to make it more accessible to legal staff and the public. There are no other action items on the agenda for tomorrow's meeting except for the Consent Calendar. As always, there will be Requests and Comments from Citizens when participants are given three minutes to address the Board on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Wednesday's public meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

Two vehicle fires within one hour yesterday kept Rural Metro Fire Department busy. On Monday at 12:23 p.m., Rural Metro crews responded to a truck pulling a fifth-wheel trailer that caught fire while descending from Sexton Pass on Interstate 5. Pulling over near milepost 67, the driver was able to exit without injury. An attempt to use a fire extinguisher came up short due to rapidly advancing flames. Firefighters responded as quickly as possible over the pass to Sunny Valley and then back to the scene where they found the pickup fully involved. The blaze damaged the front exterior of the RV, but suppression efforts saved the contents. The cause of the fire was deemed to be a mechanical failure. On Monday at 1:23 p.m., Rural Metro responded to a fully-involved vehicle about four miles up Shan Creek Road beyond the National Forest boundary. Rural Metro officials said there was no driver located and the vehicle appeared to have been burning for a while. Due to the location in a wide gravel turnout, there was no spread to adjacent wildland which allowed crews to focus on cooling the car. The US Forest Service and Josephine County Sheriff's Office are investigating suspicious circumstances surrounding the vehicle's recent history and destruction. Anyone with information is urged to call the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a "frequent flyer" last night for a disturbance on the southeast side of the city. The Police Department reports officers responded to a report of a female subject attempting to follow a woman into her apartment in the 1600-block of SE N Street on Monday around 8 p.m.. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report the subject tried to follow her into her apartment, but the subject did not get physical with her. The caller said the woman was wearing what appeared to be a jail bracelet and was mumbling to herself about having "a clean bill of health." The subject followed other residents around as well. Upon arrival, officers contacted the 64-year-old woman and directed her multiple times to stay out of the road. She responded by sitting down in the bicycle lane, refusing to get up and leave while throwing two cigarettes on the road and refusing to pick them up. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Disorderly Conduct and Offensive Littering. Due to her numerous recent contacts with law enforcement, she was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested two men on outstanding warrants during city park patrol checks on Monday morning. At Tussing Park, officers contacted a 57-year-old man for an observed violation of a city ordinance and discovered that he was wanted on two warrants. The man was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation and a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving While Suspended. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. At Morrison Centennial Park, officers contacted another 57-year-old man for an observed violation of a city ordinance and found him to be wanted on a Coos County warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Theft. After the warrant was confirmed, the man was cited to appear in Coos County Circuit Court and then released. He was also trespassed from the park for 30 days.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted a total of 17 campers from city parks due to repeat ordinance violations on Monday. At Fruitdale Park, two women were cited for Illegal Camping after they failed to remove their previously posted campsites. One of them was trespassed for 30 days. At Morrison Centennial Park, two men were cited for Illegal Camping and Scattering Rubbish, a man and two women were cited for Illegal Camping, and a woman was cited for Buffer Zone Violation. All six were issued park exclusions. At Tussing Park, three men and two women were cited for Buffer Zone Violation while two of them were also cited for Staking a Tent. Another woman was cited for Illegal Camping and Misuse of Park Open Space. Five of them were trespassed from the park for 30 days. At Riverside Park, two men and a woman were cited for Possession of Fentanyl. The three campers were issued 30-day park exclusions and the drugs were seized for destruction. Two others were cited for Illegal Camping and Scattering Rubbish. At Lawnridge Park, a man was cited for Possession of Methamphetamine and given a 30-day park exclusion. At Kesterson Park, a man was cited for Misuse of Open Space and trespassed for 30 days.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man on an outstanding warrant when he stopped by the OSP office yesterday. According to OSP, the 35-year-old man arrived at the office on NE 7th Street on Monday at 11:51 a.m. to inquire if he was needed for questioning for an unknown reason. Upon further investigation, it was discovered the man was wanted on a Cottage Grove misdemeanor warrant for an unspecified offense. He was detained. The suspect was cited to appear in court and released. It was later determined that the incident he was inquiring about had occurred in Cottage Grove.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving last weekend during a traffic stop in Cave Junction. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by the 52-year-old man in the 27,900-block of Redwood Highway late Saturday night. Deputies said they stopped the motorist for observed traffic violations and he displayed signs of impairment. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Cave Junction Substation for processing. The suspect was cited to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. He was given a courtesy ride to his residence, but his vehicle was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has released information about a fatal motor vehicle accident that occurred in a mountainous area north of Grants Pass late last week. The Oregon State Police first reported the incident that occurred on Friday at 3:52 p.m. near milepost 2.5 of Winona Road. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies, state troopers and American Medical Response were dispatched to a report of a single-vehicle crash with an occupant trapped inside the vehicle. Arriving units determined the female passenger -- 39-year-old Justine Nord -- was deceased inside the overturned vehicle. Sheriff's Lieutenant Jim Geiger said the driver told deputies they stopped to help a disabled vehicle and were outside their own vehicle when it began rolling north on Winona Road down the hill. The vehicle subsequently left the roadway, rolled over and trapped Nord inside where she later succumbed to her injuries. Lieutenant Geiger said next of kin has been notified.