Local News

The Grants Pass Broadcasting Corporation and Grants Pass Active Club staged another successful Kids Day event this morning. According to an unofficial tally when the broadcast-a-thon ended at 11 a.m., a total of $17,808 was collected during the three-hour annual event. The total represents generous donations made by individuals, families and local businesses plus an auction of several items including a Traeger grill package that sold for $2,000 and a Bo Nix-autographed Oregon Ducks football helmet that went for $1,550. Proceeds from the 67th Annual Kids Day event will go to taking 174 local kids shopping to get Christmas presents for their families. Thank you for participating in Kids Day -- we couldn't have done it without you!

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a local felon for violating his post-prison supervision by stealing a vehicle following a traffic stop in the southeast part of the city yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 31-year-old Nicholas Patrick Scarnechia near the corner of SE J and 11th Streets on Thursday at 9:33 a.m.. Police said they pulled over a gold Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Scarnechia because he failed to use his signal prior to making a turn onto J Street. They said he admitted that he was on parole and did not have a driver's license. A records check showed that the vehicle he was driving illegally had been reported stolen. A consent search of the vehicle uncovered a small baggy of a crystal substance that fielded-tested positive as methamphetamine. It was seized for destruction and the suspect was placed into custody. Scarnechia was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. A charge of Possession of Meth was referred to the District Attorney's Office. The registered owner of the Chevy Tahoe was contacted and they responded to take possession of their SUV. Jail records show Scarnechia has been arrested for violating his parole from a 2018 conviction five times since June of this year.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed two men early yesterday for stealing items off tractors at a farm located just east of Grants Pass. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 31-year-old Kody Tyler Halverson and 48-year-old Demetrius Elward Hughes for the incident in the 3300-block of Foothill Boulevard on Thursday around 10:45 a.m.. Deputies said the property owner called 9-1-1 to report two male subjects stealing stuff from his tractors. The caller said it was an ongoing issue as the two men kept coming back to his farm. He advised he had just spotted them out in his field. Upon arrival, deputies placed Halverson and Hughes into custody, stating that one of them was trying to hide. Halverson and Hughes were both lodged at the Josephine County Jail on charges of 2nd-Degree Theft, Criminal Mischief and Criminal Trespass. It was unclear in the report if the stolen items were recovered. Halverson was additionally charged with Felony Parole Violation and he was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested two men for theft and littering on a rural property yesterday. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies were performing a patrol check on the "211 Spur" near a local waterway around midday Thursday when they observed 25-year-old Gage Dwayne Wilson and 38-year-old Morefire Zyerin Stilke. Details of the incident were not disclosed, but the theft of a Predator Generator and littering were mentioned in the report. The two suspects were placed into custody. Wilson and Stilke were transported to the Josephine County Jail where they were booked on identical charges of 1st-Degree Theft, Theft-by-Receiving, Offensive Littering and Littering within 100 Yards of a Waterway. Both men were being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested an uncooperative young motorist for impaired driving and other crimes late yesterday after he crashed into a parked vehicle on NE A Street. The Police Department reports officers responded to the two-vehicle collision on NE A near the Pinnacle 365 store on Thursday shortly before 6 p.m.. Police said an investigation determined that a 19-year-old male subject was driving a black BMW west on A when he struck the rear-end of a silver Chevrolet sedan, pushing the parked sedan up onto the sidewalk, causing substantial damage to both vehicles and damaging a flower bed belonging to A Street Dental. A medic who also responded to the crash advised the young driver appeared to be highly intoxicated. The driver refused to provide a breath sample, so a search warrant for a legal blood draw was obtained and he was placed into a patrol vehicle for the ride to Three Rivers Medical Center. The suspect then spit on the back seat of the patrol car, kicked the windows, and flung dirt and debris inside the car. After a blood sample was taken at the hospital, the young driver agreed to submit a breath sample -- but he immediately changed his mind and requested an attorney. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief and 3rd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was also cited for the breath test refusal and his car was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested an adult motorist for impaired driving last night after he crashed into another vehicle in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the two-vehicle wreck in the 2,000-block of NW Vine Street near Li'l Pantry Market & Deli on Thursday around 10:15 p.m.. Police said an investigation determined that a black BMW 430 driven by a 62-year-old male subject pulled out in front of a black Jeep Wrangler that was heading south on Vine. They said the front driver-side of the BMW impacted the corner of the Jeep, causing damage to both vehicles. No injuries were reported. Upon contact with the BMW driver, officers noticed strong signs of impairment. He performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was detained at the scene. Officers said he failed to yield to the Jeep while pulling out from the parking lot of a bar. The suspect was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Failure to Yield While Entering Roadway. He was cited to appear in court and released, but his damaged BMW was towed to a local impound yard.

 

State troopers arrested a Grants Pass man on an outstanding warrant after a contact at the Oregon State Police station in the north part of the city yesterday. According to OSP, 29-year-old Richard David Kirman came into the patrol office on NE 7th Street on Thursday at about 2:15 p.m.. Troopers said while Kirman was completing some unspecified paperwork, they discovered that he was wanted on a local warrant for Disorderly Conduct. No other details about the alleged crime were disclosed. Kirman was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrant. He was initially lodged without bail, but he has since been cited to appear in court and released.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office was seeking public assistance in finding a teenage runaway who has not been seen by her family since last weekend. Sheriff's officials said 16-year-old Karrie Knox was reported missing late Saturday after she was seen by her mother at their residence in the Redwood area of Grants Pass that morning. Knox is described as white female juvenile, 5-feet-10-inches tall and 145 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing red sweatpants, a black hoodie and black shoes. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Karrie Knox is urged to contact the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for weapon and drug crimes following a traffic stop in the north part of the city early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a Ford Explorer driven by 36-year-old Bryan William Suthann near the corner of NE 7th Street and Manzanita Avenue on Thursday just after midnight. Police said they stopped Suthann for expired registration tags and they noticed a large amount of marijuana between his legs. His female passenger advised the Explorer was her vehicle and she had just purchased it from her mother. However, there was no registration or proof of insurance in the SUV and neither the driver nor the passenger had a valid driver's license. Suthann was detained for having over a pound of marijuana and he admitted to having a butterfly knife in his possession as well. He was also found to be in possession of multiple syringes, baggies with methamphetamine residue and a glass pipe. All the items were seized for destruction. Suthann was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon, Unlawful Possession of More Than One Pound of Marijuana and Methamphetamine Possession. He was also cited and warned for the traffic violations. The SUV was impounded.