Local News

A man out of compliance with his restraining order was arrested and jailed by Josephine County Sheriff's deputies.

A call to dispatch Sunday at 2:31 p.m. reported the suspect being threatening at a property in the 9000 block of Takilma Road. The caller was visiting a friend and told dispatch that, while the suspect wasn't seen, he was heard yelling and banging on something at a trailer near the street.

Despite a delay due to a large volume of 911 calls, deputies were able to locate the suspect, Brady Chilson, in the 8500 block of Takilma Road. He was detained and admitted to deputies he was at the previous residence.

Chilson had a non-extraditable warrant out of Vermont for Cocaine Possession, and deputies took him into custody, charging him with Menacing and Contempt of Court for the restraining order violation. He was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail on his charges.

 

Success was in bloom at The Grants Pass and Josephine County Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet.

Members of the chamber were in attendance at the Boys and Girls Club Friday night as many businesses and their owners were honored for their work in the community.

The Architecture Award went to Dwell Street Market. The Business Excellence award for a small business was awarded to Grants Pass Broadcasting, and the large business award went to Master Brand.

The Lonely Pine, run by brother and sister Quinten and Penelope Buck, was given the Rising Star Award, while Patrick and Misti Hoadley of Blaze-N-Monkey's and Jimmy's Classic Drive-In won the Community Spirit Award.

James Lowe was awarded for Fostering a Legacy through his work in the Grants Pass Active Club, with The Hivve owner Trever Yarrish being honored as Person of the Year. Steve Roe, General Manager of Roe Motors, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

A Gold Hill man was arrested by multiple law enforcement agencies for Luring a Minor and Online Sexual Exploitation. Beginning in September 2025, Kaleb John Francis Altman, 25, contacted and began interacting with a juvenile female who was actually a Eugene Police Department (EPD) detective investigating internet crimes against children. On February 25th, a Violent Crimes detective drove to Medford and met with Jackson County Sheriff’s Office detectives to collaborate on the case. A team of Eugene Police, Jackson County Sheriff's deputies, the Oregon Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Medford Police detectives arrested Altman without incident as he arrived to his workplace in Medford. He was transported by the EPD detective to Eugene and lodged at the Lane County Jail for Luring a Minor and Online Sexual Corruption of a Child in the Second Degree.

 

Shortly after 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Medford Fire Department crews were dispatched to a confirmed structure fire in the 300 block of Haven Street.

Upon arrival, a working fire was located in a detached garage converted into an apartment. The fire, believed to have started along an exterior wall and extended into the attic, was quickly knocked down. Jackson County Fire District 3 assisted at the scene.

Firefighters helped the occupants out of the building to safety. One occupant and her pets have been displaced, and the American Red Cross is assisting. A Deputy Fire Marshal is investigating the cause. No injuries were reported.

 

A man scaring people by the Bethany Presbyterian Church was taken to jail Thursday afternoon on one warrant, and cited for the other.

The Grants Pass Police Department responded following a 2:03 p.m. report of the suspect frightening others and throwing shoes outside the 741 NW 4th Street church. The caller said they saw the man walking towards the church before the incident began 10 minutes prior.

A welfare check was requested, and officers arrived to detain the suspect, Brandon Stradford. He was found to have two warrants: One out of the police department for Unlawful Use of Methamphetamine, and the other out of Klamath Falls for Disorderly Conduct.

Stradford was cited for his Klamath Falls warrant, but lodged in the Josephine County Jail for his Grants Pass Warrant. He was later released because of a lack of resources at the jail facility.

 

A man sleeping outside The Armory was apprehended for failing to register as a sex offender.

Grants Pass Police were alerted to the suspect in a sleeping bag outside the 215 Redwood Highway location. The man, Michael Higgs, was contacted and run through dispatch where he was found to be out of compliance with his sex offender registration.

He had been released from jail in February and since had time to register. Higgs then admitted to officers to not living his registered address since January after a hospital stay. He was lodged in jail for Failure to Report, but was released due to a lack of resources.

 

Alleged search for sister sends parolee back to jail following his arrest by Josephine County Sheriff’s Deputies just after midnight Friday morning. The incident with a 10:58 p.m. phone call to dispatch saying two people he did not know came to the reporter’s door in the 4,000 block of Redwood Avenue looking for his sister. Caller told them to leave but the instruction was ignored. Deputies arrived and contacted two people Elizabeth Patricia Marino, 37, and Michael Tognoni, 47. Ms. Marino was advised of her trespass and consented to leave on request. Mr. Tognoni however was found to be in violation of his parole and was taken into custody on a detainer imposed by his parole officer. It was his fourth parole violation this year, and he remained in custody this morning.

 

A Chevron employee alerted Grants Pass Police to an intoxicated man at the 650 Redwood Highway gas station.

Early Friday morning, the employee called 911, saying the suspect was sitting by the slushie machine unable to remember his name. The employee was requesting the man be escorted out and trespassed.

Officers arrived at the scene. While trying to identify the suspect, the man didn't listen to lawful orders, raising his arm and swinging towards one of the officer's faces, knocking off their glasses. He was not cooperative while officers placed him into custody.

The suspect, later identified as Matthew Welty, was stood up and looked like he was about to spit on the officer he swung at. A spit hood was requested and applied, and Welty was flagged for assault.

While Welty was being transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for medical clearance, he unrestrained his seatbelt and moved to the driver side of the compartment. Officers later lodged him at the Adult Jail Facility on charges for Resisting Arrest and Attempted Assault on a Peace Officer.

 

Josephine County Sheriff's deputies conducted a traffic stop Thursday and arrested the driver for Elude and Reckless Driving.

The suspect, Trevor Jones, was stopped and taken into custody at the corner of SE J Street and SE 11th Street around 9:50 p.m. After running him through dispatch, deputies found there was probable cause to arrest Jones for felony Elude and Reckless driving if contacted.

He was also found to have an Oregon Parole Board warrant charging him with Second Degree Sex Abuse. Deputies transported and lodged Jones in the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility on his warrant and charges.