Local News

A deputy with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a man recognized from a previous incident, and known to be wanted on an out-of-county warrant Thursday.

The suspect was observed walking northbound on U.S. Highway 199 near Watkins Street in Cave Junction around 12:25 p.m. The deputy knew the suspect from a previous contact, and was aware of a warrant the man had out for his arrest from the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

The misdemeanor warrant charged the suspect with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. Upon contact with the suspect, identified as Justin Lewin, the deputy informed him he was under arrest.

Lewin was compliant, and promptly transported to the Josephine County Jail for lodging on his DUII warrant. He was conditionally released by 2:44 p.m.

 

Two 911 calls regarding the same suspect led Grants Pass Police to arrest a woman trespassing at the Royal Trailer Park.

Dispatch learned from the first caller Thursday around 6:28 p.m. that the suspect was currently at a bench near the 200 Lewis Avenue property. The suspect was described as a blonde woman wearing a black tank top, black shirt, and a black wig before it was thrown to the ground.

She reportedly attempted to punch the caller, and had been kicked out of the location previously. The caller told dispatch, after leaving the scene, that the suspect was bleeding from her head, saying she had been hit by a cutting board. She also reportedly admitted to assaulting her boyfriend the night before.

Another call to 911 around 6:32 p.m. reported the same woman acting erratic, yelling and screaming at the scene, with blood on her consistent with the initial report. The caller requested the suspect be charged, and officers responded to the scene.

The suspect, Angelina Banachowicz was taken into custody by officers despite her being uncooperative. She was found to be wanted on a warrant out of the Police Department for Fourth Degree Assault.

Officers transported Banachowicz to the Josephine County Jail where she was lodged on her warrant, plus charges of Second Degree Trespass, and Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree. Additional charges of Fourth Degree Assault and Harassment will be referred to the District Attorney for prosecution.

 

Oregon Heritage, a division of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, awarded 20 grants totaling $300,000 for historic properties and archaeology projects.

According to a press release, seven of the grants were awarded in the Diamonds in the Rough category. This grant funds façade enhancements that restore the historic character of the property. The other 13 grants were in the Preserving Oregon category for properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places and for archaeology projects.

Celia's House in Medford was among the chosen historic properties and other funded projects. These grants are approved by the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation, a nine-member group that reviews nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information about the grant program, visit www.oregonheritage.org

 

The Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives served a search warrant today at a black-market cannabis grow in the 100 block of Hogan Road near rural Applegate outside of Jacksonville. According to a press release, IMET detectives seized approximately 1,300 marijuana plants, a half-pound of psilocybin mushrooms, and three and a half pounds of THC extract. There was no licensing for any type of cannabis growing, handling, or processing at the location. IMET was assisted by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Oregon State Police. Oregon Water Resources Department and Jackson County Code Enforcement responded to the scene to conduct investigations.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested one man and cited another who were both wanted for warrants.

The first suspect, James McClung, was observed behind Bi-Mart around 7:11 a.m. The officer knew he was wanted on two warrants out of the police department, and held him at taser point.

McClung was cooperative with the officer, and was taken into custody. His three warrants charged him with Third Degree Escape, Theft in the Third Degree, and Second Degree Criminal Mischief. He was cited to appear in court, then released.

Officers then located James Bendickson this morning at Morrison Centennial Park around 4:17 a.m. He was wanted on a felony warrant out of the Josephine County Sheriff's Office for Second Degree Burglary.

His identity was confirmed, and officers lodged Bendickson in the Josephine County Jail. According to the police report, he was then issued a citation for being in the park after hours.

 

A man and woman were lodged by Grants Pass Police Wednesday in separate trespassing cases.

The woman was reported to be trespassing at the Best Western at 8:52 p.m. She had been previously trespassed Monday, and the caller described her to dispatch as wearing a black t-shirt, green shorts, and a bright blue backpack.

The suspect was sitting under the gazebo at the 111 NE Agness Avenue hotel smoking. She was asked to leave the property, and headed towards the freeway from there.

Officers arrived and took Madison Brown into custody. She was transported to and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for Second Degree Criminal Trespass, then released on her own recognizance.

That night around 9 p.m., another call to dispatch reported an intoxicated man, the caller's son, trespassing at a property in the 1800 block of Medart Lane. He had been previously trespassed from the location, and it was the caller wished to press charges.

Law enforcement contacted and took the suspect into custody for a Second Degree Criminal Trespass charge. He was also later released from the Adult Jail Facility on his own recognizance.

 

Three men were contacted following calls for service, with two of them being arrested by Grants Pass Police for methamphetamine charges Wednesday.

Dispatch was alerted to a man camping outside the Pregnancy Care Center at 714 SE 8th Street around 8:25 p.m. He was reported to have a cart full of belongings with him, and it was requested he be trespassed from the property.

Arriving officers contacted two men at the scene. One of them, Bobby Joe Swearingen, was wanted by his parole officer and taken into custody. He was also found to be in possession of a small foil bindle of meth.

Law enforcement lodged Swearingen in jail, and both men were trespassed from the business.

That afternoon around 2:36 p.m., park watch called 911, reporting two suspects nodding off with drug paraphernalia around them at Riverside Park. They were located under the lower gazebo by the playground, and it was requested officers respond.

One of the reported suspects, Justis Cory, was contacted at the scene. He was taken into custody after being found with methamphetamine, and transported to the Adult Jail Facility. Officers lodged him for two counts of Meth Possession, and issued him a 30 day exclusion order for the park.

 

A screaming man was reported to dispatch, leading to a response from Grants Pass Police and the man's arrest for Methamphetamine Possession.

Wednesday afternoon, a call to 911 reported the suspect heading southbound on 7th Street at 11:09 a.m. He was reported to be screaming, wearing a black sweatshirt, carrying a bag with him, and the caller believed he was going to jump into traffic.

Officers located the suspect based on the description provided at the Beaver Lot. He was identified as James Hall, and was on Post-Prison Supervision. His parole officer had placed a detainer on him, and during a consent search, law enforcement located a glass pipe with a white crystallized substance.

Hall admitted the substance was meth after being read his rights. A field test confirmed his admission, so he was taken into custody. He was transported to the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility and lodged for his detainer and a charge of Meth Possession.

 

Officers with Grants Pass Police arrested a man found staying at the Redwood Hyperion Suites unlawfully Wednesday morning.

An employee of the 815 NE 6th Street hotel called 911 to report the suspect had broken into a room the night before, and was climbing the fence to get away around 8:48 a.m. It was reported the suspect had been trespassed before, and had left some of his belongings behind.

He was identified as Matthew Barnett, and he was described to dispatch as wearing black pants, a black backpack, and no shirt. Staff had found him in the room when unlocking it this morning.

Officers contacted Barnett at the corner of NE 8th Street and NE Josephine Street. It was determined he had stayed two nights in two separate rooms, used amenities, and left drug paraphernalia and a beer in one of the rooms.

A detainer was placed on Barnett per his Parole Officer. Law enforcement then proceeded to charge him with two counts of both Second Degree Burglary, and Theft of Services. Barnett was lodged in the Josephine County Jail on his charges and detainer.