Local News

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a suspect for attempting to burn down a restaurant in downtown Cave Junction yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested a 30-year-old man they identified as "Kale Phillip Luke" for the incident that occurred early Thursday morning at River Valley Restaurant in the 200-block of South Redwood Highway. Deputies said the restaurant owner who rents the location advised them that a dumpster outside the building was lit on fire at about 3:25 a.m.. They said the incident was captured on surveillance which shows the suspect lighting a piece of paper, throwing it in the dumpster and placing other trash over the flames. The suspect walked away as the flames spread from the dumpster and up the support beams of the attached porch, which threatened to destroy the business. The Illinois Valley Fire District responded and extinguished the blaze in which damage to the dumpster was estimated to be several hundred dollars and damage to the porch was estimated to be well over $1,000. Luke was located and placed into custody on Thursday at 1:17 p.m.. He was then transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges of 1st-Degree Arson and 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man on out-of-state and out-of-county warrants while searching for a stolen vehicle in south Grants Pass early yesterday. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies found and stopped a 45-year-old man who was driving the stolen vehicle near the corner of Independence Drive and SE Grandview Avenue on Thursday around 10:15 a.m.. Deputies said the vehicle -- which had been reported stolen by the Grants Pass Police Department -- had switched license plates, but they had no information on the suspect in that case and there was no video footage of the crime. However, they discovered that the male subject was wanted on a California warrant for Contempt of Court and a Jackson County warrant for Methamphetamine Possession. The suspect was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the no-bail warrants. He was being held while the vehicle theft investigation was continuing. The stolen license plates were seized as evidence.

 

Grants Pass Police cited a motorist for causing a crash in the north part of the city and not having any insurance late yesterday. The Police Department reports officers and emergency crews responded to the two-vehicle collision under the Interstate 5 overpass on NE 6th Street near Scoville Road on Thursday at 5:47 p.m.. Police said an investigation showed the male driver of a white Mazda sport utility vehicle wrecked into a red Ford Maverick as he exited the northbound I-5 off-ramp onto 6th Street. The driver of the Ford told officers the other driver tried to pay him off and leave. He said the other driver was acting "sketchy." Officers determined that the driver of the Mazda SUV had no insurance. His vehicle sustained heavy damage and was towed away. Following the investigation, the at-fault motorist was charged with Failure to Yield the Right of Way and No Insurance. He was cited to appear in court and released.

 

Grants Pass Police cited a motorist for causing a crash on Williams Highway and not having any insurance last night. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle collision in the 1600-block of Highway 238 on Thursday at 9:48 p.m.. Police said an investigation showed that the female driver of a silver Cadillac CTV entered the highway from the Williams Highway Plaza and struck a black Honda CRV that was traveling south on the highway. The Honda -- which had been purchased just yesterday -- was towed from the crash scene. No one was hurt. Following the investigation, officers charged the driver of the Cadillac with Failure to Yield the Right of Way and No Insurance. She was cited to appear in court and released.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a local couple for trying to steal merchandise from Walmart late yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a shoplifting call at the store on NE Terry Lane on Thursday at 4:50 p.m.. Police said the man and woman entered Walmart with the intent to steal flea medication for their dogs. The pair exited the store while passing all points of sale without paying for the item. They were detained by loss prevention and the flea medication was returned to the store. According to the report, both suspects were cooperative with law enforcement. Both suspects were charged with 3rd-Degree Theft. They were cited to appear in court and then released from custody.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant and cited three other people during patrol checks at a city park yesterday. During a morning check of Riverside Park, officers contacted a 30-year-old male subject and discovered that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for a weapon offense. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail and trespassed from the park for 30 days. Also at Riverside Park, a man and woman were observed smoking out of a glass pipe that contained a white crystal substance determined to be methamphetamine. Both were cited to appear in court and issued 30-day exclusion notices. Meanwhile, a woman was cited for Misuse of Park Open Space and Scattering Rubbish. She was also trespassed from the park for 30 days.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for multiple crimes this week after he broke into a vehicle and tried to steal it from a downtown business. The Police Department reports officers tracked down and arrested the 45-year-old male subject identified as "Justin John Morton" on Wednesday morning after he tried to steal a vehicle from Active Home Furnishings at 605 SE 7th Street. Police said the incident was called in at 7:14 a.m. by an employee of People's Bank of Commerce who witnessed the crime from a top-floor window. The caller reported the subject was rummaging through a blue truck, breaking it apart and scattering items all over the roadway. A description of the suspect was given to officers who eventually located him in an alley between J and K streets. Officers told the suspect to stop, but he ran away from them while screaming obscenities. He ran across the street and up onto the hood of a patrol vehicle that was involved in the chase. He then jumped down from the vehicle and walked toward officers with clenched fists. A Taser was deployed to place him into custody, but he continued to scuffle with police after he was handcuffed. Morton was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Attempted Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle, 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief, Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct and Petty Theft. He was being held without bail.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for harassing and threatening his ex-wife in order to see their children this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested the 27-year-old male subject on Wednesday evening in the 1300-block of Caves Highway in Cave Junction. Deputies said the subject was reported to be driving back in forth in front of the female victim's Grants Pass residence while threatening to kill the mother of his children. They said he was driving a silver 2022 Chevrolet pickup and he was reportedly armed with a shotgun and/or an assault rifle. According to the report, the man currently has an open case in Yamhill County. He is allowed to have contact with his ex-wife, but may not have contact with the kids. After speaking with both the suspect and the victim, deputies learned the suspect drove past the victim's house at least a dozen times the night before and threatened to shoot her after a verbal dispute on the phone that she recorded. The suspect was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Domestic Menacing and Contempt of Court. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for intentionally starting a small fire on the east side of the city this week. According to the Police Department, officers and firefighters responded to the grass fire at the corner of the Grants Pass Parkway and NE Agness Avenue shortly before midnight on Wednesday. Police said a passing motorist called 9-1-1 to report a male subject lighting a bush on fire, breaking a branch off the burning bush and walking toward the Elmer's restaurant. The subject dropped the branch in the middle of the road and began walking toward the caller's vehicle, so the caller drove away. Officers and firefighters were successful in putting out a small fire near the River City BMX track as the 33-year-old man walked away. He attempted to flee the scene on foot, but was captured in the intersection and placed into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 2nd-Degree Arson, Resisting Arrest and Escape plus Felony Parole Violation related to convictions for Forgery and Theft. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.