Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman last night for returning to a residence from which she had been previously trespassed. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a trespassing call at a home in the 1600-block of NW Highland Avenue shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday. Police said 39-year-old Ashlie Ann Lore returned to the dwelling and sat outside in a Kia Optima with blacked-out windows. They said she was yelling and throwing items at a family member's car. Lore had been trespassed from the property on May 18th, so she was placed into custody. She was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 1st-Degree Criminal Trespass and was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a female motorist for two violations during an early morning traffic stop today in the southeast part of the city. Police officers pulled over a Dodge Durango driven by a woman identified only as "Grimm" near the corner of Fruitdale Drive and Gaffney Way at 12:32 a.m.. Officers said they stopped Grimm after observing expired registration tags on her vehicle. A routine records check showed the vehicle had not been registered in any state since 2020. The woman claimed ownership of the vehicle, but she did not have any paperwork showing a bill of sale. Grimm was also found to be driving with a suspended license and without any insurance. She was cited to appear in court for the violations and the vehicle was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police handed out citations yesterday during patrol checks at a resting site and a city park. According to GPPD, officers contacted Richard Matteson at the 6th & A Street resting site during a morning patrol check. Matteson was cited for Scattering Rubbish. It was his second such citation and he was trespassed for 30 days. During an afternoon patrol check at Baker Park, officers cited two people and warned several others for parking in the "boat trailer only" spaces. They also recovered a shopping cart and returned it to Safeway.

 

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is investigating a suspicious death that took place last week outside the small community of Prospect. The Sheriff's Office reports patrol deputies responded to a report of a victim with a gunshot wound at a residence in the 2,000-block of Shelly Drive last Thursday at 1:27 a.m.. Deputies detained a suspect when they arrived on scene. A Mercy Flights ambulance transported the victim to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. Detectives and medical examiners responded to take over the investigation. The victim is 47-year-old JR Anthony Monteleone, III, of Prospect. The suspect -- 32-year-old Chad Allen McPherson of Prospect -- is charged with 2nd-Degree Murder and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He has been indicted by a Jackson County Grand Jury and is lodged at the Medford jail facility. The Oregon State Police Crime Lab, OSP detectives, Jackson County Search and Rescue, and the Jackson County District Attorney's Office all assisted with the investigation. Sheriff's officials said the timing of the news release was delayed so Search and Rescue volunteers could conduct an evidence search at the incident location. They thanked the SAR volunteers for locating critical evidence. This case is active and ongoing, with detectives following additional leads.

 

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a convicted felon for weapon, drug and probation violations following a traffic stop near Home Depot this week. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a Volkswagen Jetta driven by 54-year-old Russell Scott Kitts in the 100-block of NE Mill Street Tuesday night. Police said they stopped Kitts for driving the wrong way on NE F Street, finding that his driving privileges had been suspended and he had no insurance. They said he was also found to be in possession of a dagger and a methamphetamine pipe. As a convicted felon, Kitts is prohibited from possessing weapons and/or drugs. Kitts was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon and Meth Possession plus the resulting Probation Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer and his car was impounded.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office apprehended an Illinois Valley man on three local warrants in Cave Junction this week. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 31-year-old Joshua Michael Delkittie near the corner of Schumacher Street and South Hussey Avenue on Tuesday. Deputies said they were looking for Delkittie who was wanted on three Josephine County warrants for failing to appear in court for Mail Theft, 2nd-Degree Theft, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Fentanyl and Attempted Escape. This time, he was placed into custody without incident. Delkittie was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrants. He was being held in lieu of posting $70,000 bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a male transient on an outstanding warrant while performing a welfare check at a local sporting goods store this week. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 65-year-old Jimmie Robert Talbert, Jr., outside Big 5 Sporting Goods on NE Agness Avenue on Tuesday. Police said the Big 5 manager called 9-1-1 to report a male subject on the west side of the building who was laying on the sidewalk with prescription pill bottles all around him. The caller requested a welfare check on the man because "he doesn't look good." A customer identified the man as "a well-known drug addict." Officers found Talbert sleeping in the bushes near the store and he was visibly impaired by alcohol. They discovered that he was wanted on a Medford warrant for failing to appear in court for Menacing. Talbert was placed into custody and booked into jail on the outstanding warrant.

 

A rollover crash required extrication on Redwood Highway in southwest Grants Pass early yesterday. On Wednesday at about 10:45 a.m., Grants Pass Fire & Rescue, Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the single vehicle accident in the area of US Highway 199 and Willow Lane. Upon arrival, first responders found a single vehicle on its roof with one occupant trapped inside. Due to the position and damage to the vehicle, stabilization and extrication were required to safely remove the patient. Firefighters used hydraulic rescue tools to access the occupant who was treated at the scene by paramedics. Rescue crews were assisted on scene by the Grants Pass Police Department. The cause of the wreck was under investigation.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to take care of real property matters during its weekly business session this morning. The Board will open the meeting with a public hearing for county-owned real properties totaling more than 60 acres on Fish Hatchery Road near Grants Pass and Coyote Creek Road near Wolf Creek. Both properties were acquired by Josephine County due to foreclosure on delinquent tax liens. Following the hearing, the Commissioners will consider designating the properties as county forests, public parks or recreation areas, which would make them eligible to be sold at a public auction. Under Administrative Actions, the Board will consider land sale contracts for two properties sold at a November 14th Sheriff's Auction. The properties are identified as 12100 Redwood Highway and 106 East O'Brien Street. Today's public meeting begins at 10 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.