Local News

Grants Pass Police jailed a well-known criminal offender for multiple crimes after she caused a dangerous disturbance in the south part of the city late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers deployed a Taser multiple times in order to subdue and arrest 32-year-old Whitney Ann Word in the 1200-block of Plummer Avenue on Monday at 6:08 p.m.. Police said Word was the subject of multiple complaints of a woman walking down the middle of Ringuette Street and forcing vehicles to go around her. She was actively impeding traffic and displaying signs consistent with narcotics use when they arrived on scene. Officers established probable cause to arrest Word, but she fled on foot and began attempting to enter several occupied vehicles while placing civilians at serious risk. The suspect failed to comply with lawful commands, so officers deployed a Taser three times with no effect. Two additional probes were deployed which achieved neuromuscular incapacitation and she was placed into custody. Word was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Attempted Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Attempted Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle, Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct and Escape. She was being held without bail. The Oregon State Police reported taking Word to Three Rivers Medical Center earlier in the day after she was obstructing traffic in the East Jones Creek area.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on a statewide felony warrant yesterday after she caused a disturbance at a city park. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident involving 39-year-old Ciera Michelle Lokken at Reinhart Volunteer Park on Monday around 1 p.m.. Police said Lokken was initially reported to be yelling and acting disorderly at Tussing Park before she crossed the pedestrian-bicycle bridge to the All Sports Park where she was contacted. She was found to be wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a past conviction for an unspecified weapons offense. Lokken was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. Her property -- including a bicycle -- was logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on two local warrants following a weekend complaint of strange and possibly dangerous antics in the downtown area. The Police Department reports officers responded to the incident involving 37-year-old Brian P. Stack at People's Bank of Commerce on SE 7th Street on Sunday at 5:45 a.m.. Police said witnesses reported a male subject with a plastic trash bag over his head who was trying to light something on fire while singing and acting very strange. The man was not wearing any shoes and it was believed he was likely under the influence of narcotics. Responding officers contacted Stack and discovered that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for failing to appear in court on three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon. He was also wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Petty Theft and Methamphetamine Possession. After the warrants were confirmed, Stack was lodged at the Josephine County Jail without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a Community Corrections client for violating terms of his probation following a welfare check in the downtown area yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to reports of a male subject flailing his arms and yelling in the 200-block of SE H Street at 1:10 p.m. Monday. Police said citizens requested a welfare check on 38-year-old Kelcey Edwin Cummings as he appeared to be under the influence of a narcotic stimulant. Callers told dispatchers the man was conscious and breathing, but acting incoherent. Responding officers contacted Cummings, confirmed he was under the influence of drugs and that he appeared to have an infection. Medics responded and checked him out, advising that he was at Three Rivers Medical Center the night before and had been prescribed antibiotics. Cummings' corrections officer was contacted and they requested that he be placed on a detainer. He was lodged in jail without bail for Probation Violation related to recent arrests for 2nd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving following a weekend welfare check in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a silver Lexus EX300 driven by 37-year-old Codie Breanne Riddick on NW 6th Street north of Jackson Street on Saturday afternoon. Police said Riddick was called in as a welfare check near News & Smokes on NE 6th Street and she drove away from that location. A caller reported she was inside the food pod area off NE 7th Street and a bottle of whiskey was seen inside the car. Riddick was stopped for failing to signal a lane change and she displayed signs of impairment. She was placed into custody after performing poorly in field sobriety tests. Riddick was lodged in jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Endangering as there was another person in the vehicle. She was also cited for No Operator's License and No Insurance.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended an attempted murder convict on a statewide felony warrant following a weekend pursuit in the Wilderville area. On Saturday at about 7:25 p.m., a sheriff's deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a white van near Fish Hatchery and Colin roads. The driver failed to yield and a vehicle pursuit ensued. The suspect fled eastbound on Fish Hatchery before continuing onto Cheney Creek Road. During the pursuit, dispatchers advised that the registered owner of the van was listed as 48-year-old Jack Conklin. Further information revealed that Conklin had an active Oregon State Parole Board warrant for Felony Parole Violation, with underlying charges including Attempted Murder, three counts of 2nd-Degree Assault, Coercion and Kidnapping. Approximately four miles up the dirt portion of Cheney Creek Road, the suspect came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the roadway and fled on foot. K-9 Yana was deployed and successfully apprehended Conklin down a steep embankment. Conklin was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment of a dog bite sustained during his apprehension. After receiving medical clearance, he was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus new charges of Felony and Misdemeanor Attempt to Elude Police and Reckless Driving. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

A California mother and daughter were arrested last weekend after several Jackson County businesses reported receiving counterfeit $20 bills. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports the suspects -- 42-year-old Samantha Jo Ann O'Neil and her daughter 18-year-old Jamie Aileen O'Neil, both of Walnut Grove -- were taken into custody Saturday and lodged at the Medford jail facility. Both were charged with three counts of 1st-Degree Forgery, three counts of 3rd-Degree Theft, 10 counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument and three counts of Criminal Possession of a Forgery Device. Samantha O'Neil also had more than seven grams of methamphetamine and a meth pipe concealed on her person so she was additionally charged with Unlawful Possession of Meth. On Saturday morning, Jackson County sheriff's deputies received two reports of an unidentified woman in an orange sweatshirt passing counterfeit $20 bills at several White City businesses. Surveillance footage identified the suspect vehicle as a 2005 Toyota Camry with California license plates. A short time later, deputies located the unoccupied car in the Medford Hobby Lobby parking lot. Deputies began surveillance and arrested the suspects as they approached the car. After the arrests, deputies served a search warrant on the suspects' car and located numerous counterfeit bills along with printed sheets of uncut counterfeit money. Businesses identified as victims so far are the Hobby Lobby and the White City locations of Dutch Bros, McDonalds and Starbucks. The pair traveled from Lodi, California, on April 23rd and detectives believe there were likely more victims along their way. If you suspect your business received counterfeit money from either of these women, please call the Jackson County non-emergency number at (541)-776-7206.

 

A Josephine County woman is facing a total of 34 criminal charges related to fraud -- 26 of them felonies -- following her arrest late last week. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 35-year-old Brittany Maree Brown in an unspecified location on Friday morning. The Sheriff's Office has released no details about the investigation that led to Brown's arrest. She was lodged in the Grants Pass jail facility on one count of Felony Aggravated Identity Theft, 25 counts of Felony 1st-Degree Forgery and eight counts of misdemeanor 2nd-Degree Forgery. Brown was initially being held without bail, but she was released from custody for medical reasons on Friday night.

 

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a man for a felony driving violation and narcotics possession following a weekend traffic stop on SE 7th Street. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a blue Subaru driven by 36-year-old Danylo Moskalyuk near the Human Bean coffee stand on Sunday at 11:52 p.m.. Police said they observed Moskalyuk making an illegal left turn from SE M Street onto 7th Street. They discovered that he was driving a vehicle on a public roadway while his driving privileges were suspended at the felony level. He was placed into custody and found to be in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine. Moskalyuk was lodged in jail for Felony Driving While Suspended and Meth Possession. He was being held without bail. His vehicle was impounded.