Local News

Grants Pass Police evicted three city park campers for repeat ordinance violations early Wednesday. At Baker Park, one man was cited for Improper Utilization of Space and Scattering Rubbish, while another man was cited for Scattering Rubbish. Both were issued 30-day exclusions. A total of 12 camps were posted with 72-hour notices and an e-mail was sent to the United Community Action Network. At Kesterson Park, a man was cited for drug possession and trespassed for 30 days. A total of six camps were posted with 72-hour notices and an e-mail was sent to UCAN.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant after contacting him at a state office in northwest Grants Pass yesterday. OSP reports officers contacted the 45-year-old male subject in the parking lot of the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) on NW Hawthorne Avenue on Wednesday at 2:41 p.m.. Troopers said they spotted the man and knew that he was wanted on a local bench warrant for failing to appear in court. The underlying charge was not disclosed. According to OSP, the suspect was cooperative and admitted his identity so he was cited to appear in court and then released.

 

Grants Pass Police cited both drivers after a collision between two vehicles in the north part of the city last night. According to the Police Department, officers and emergency personnel responded to the crash in the 1600-block of NW 6th Street on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m.. Police said an investigation determined a man was driving a 2024 Subaru Outback south on 6th Street when he ran a red light at Hillcrest Drive and slammed into an eastbound 2007 Hyundai sedan driven by another male motorist. A female passenger in the Subaru was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for chest pain caused by her seatbelt. A female passenger in the Hyundai complained of shoulder and leg pain, but declined medical attention. Following the investigation, the driver of the Subaru was cited for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device and the driver of the Hyundai was cited for No Insurance.

 

A Portland area truck driver escaped serious injury when he crashed a commercial vehicle on Interstate 5 on Mount Sexton early yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle accident in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 70 shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday. Troopers said an investigation revealed the 55-year-old Clackamas man was driving a Peterbilt semi-truck and trailer when he fell asleep at the wheel and veered off the freeway, crashing into a speed sign. According to OSP, the trucker was not hurt, the semi sustained only minor damage and it did not need to be towed. The Oregon Department of Transportation responded to assist state troopers. It appears no citations were issued.

 

The Medford Police Department has jailed a suspect in a shooting incident that occurred earlier this week. MPD officers arrested 20-year-old Elijia Zeigler on Tuesday following a shooting that occurred in Medford on Monday night. MPD Deputy Chief Trevor Arnold said the incident stemmed from a dispute between the victim and Zeigler that originated at a party in Ashland over the weekend. During the altercation, Zeigler allegedly stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the victim. Arnold said the victim was driving in the 1900-block of Gene Cameron Way on Monday when Zeigler fired two shots at the victim's vehicle as it drove by. Both rounds impacted the vehicle, but no injuries were sustained from the shooting. Shell casings fired from a handgun were recovered by patrol officers and an MPD detective was called to the scene to investigate. Zeigler was interviewed and then subsequently arrested. He was lodged at the Jackson County Jail on charges of Attempted Murder, 1st-Degree Attempted Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing and Reckless Endangering. Anyone with further information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the MPD Criminal Investigation Division at (541)-774-2208.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Grants Pass man for roughing up his mother at a Redwood area residence this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a domestic disturbance in the 2300-block of Dowell Road on Tuesday afternoon. Deputies said an elderly woman called 9-1-1 to report that her 64-year-old son had become physically aggressive with her while pushing her up against a wall in the home. The caller said she was not seriously hurt and declined medical attention. Upon arrival, deputies located the man in his bedroom where his ex-wife was trying to calm him down. Why the man became aggressive with this mother was not disclosed, but he was immediately placed into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Physical Harassment and Menacing, both Constituting Domestic Violence. He was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed two people on outstanding warrants this week after a disturbance at a north-city motel. The Police Department reports officers responded to reports of a man and woman chasing each other in the parking lot of Motel 6 on NE 7th Street around midday Tuesday. There were no injuries reported in the skirmish. Police said they contacted a 36-year-old man regarding the incident involving his 34-year-old girlfriend at the motel. It was discovered that he was wanted on three outstanding warrants from Jackson, Marion and Polk counties that included alleged crimes of Forgery, Identity Theft and Contempt of Court. He was lodged in jail on the warrants plus a new charge of Methamphetamine Possession. Officers contacted the female half of the disturbance and discovered that she was wanted on a Columbia County warrant for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and a St. Helens Police Department warrant for Criminal Trespass. She was also lodged in jail. Property in the couples' room was placed in the male suspect's vehicle and both parties were trespassed from Motel 6.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a "frequent flyer" for violating terms of her post-prison supervision this week while investigating a trespassing call at a local trailer park. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the complaint at Rogue Valley Overnighters in the 1800-block of NW 6th Street on Tuesday afternoon. Police said the RV park manager reported that a 34-year-old female subject was banging on his door and cussing at him so he wanted her trespassed. The caller said the woman picked up some rocks in a ditch behind a trailer and started walking toward the postal facility on NW Washington Boulevard. That's where officers caught up to the woman and told her she was under arrest. She reportedly kept walking away from them until they eventually placed her into custody. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Parole Violation and she was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records indicate the woman has been arrested at least eight times for Parole Violation since last September.

 

The Williams Rural Fire Protection District assisted a property owner whose outdoor debris burn escaped and threatened to spread into the nearby wildland. On Tuesday evening, Williams firefighters were contacted by a resident who lives on the dead end stretch of St. Parris Road regarding an escaped burn. The resident said he was burning debris when embers from the fire went into the top of a standing snag and the dead tree caught on fire. The quick-thinking man used a chainsaw to cut down the burning snag and ran water to the site to put out the flames before fire crews arrived on scene. Williams fire officials said crews helped the landowner cut up the downed snag and made sure the fire was completely out before clearing the scene.