Local News

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to take care of real property matters during its weekly business session on Thursday. 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. In Requests and Comments from Citizens, participants are given three minutes to address the Board on virtually any topic pertaining to Josephine County. Tomorrow's public meeting begins at 10 a.m. in the Anne G. Basker Auditorium.

 

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a convicted felon for weapon, drug and probation violations following a traffic stop near Home Depot last night. 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 on Tuesday at 8:20 p.m.. 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 yesterday. 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 at 1:44 p.m.. 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 yesterday. 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 at about 11 a.m.. 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.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for drug possession while performing a welfare check in the parking lot of Walgreens last night. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 32-year-old Brandon Holbrook in a Ford pickup parked at the store in the 100-block of Union Avenue on Tuesday around 7 p.m.. Police said a Walgreens worker tried to talk to Holbrook, he did not respond and a welfare check was requested. Upon arrival, officers spotted a glass water bong in plain sight in the pickup. Holbrook consented to a search, which revealed that he was in possession of approximately two grams of methamphetamine. Holbrook was arrested and charged with Meth Possession. He was cited to appear in court and then released.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a Josephine County Community Corrections client on an outstanding warrant yesterday. The Police Department reports officers were called to the Community Corrections Office on NW 4th Street on Tuesday at 10:36 a.m.. Police said 36-year-old Adam Joseph Jansen was wanted on a Medford warrant for failing to appear in court for Methamphetamine Possession. They said Jansen was there to meet with his corrections officer when the warrant was discovered. Jansen was cited to appear in court and released because the corrections officer advised his client is staying at the Gospel Rescue Mission and "doing well."

 

Grants Pass Police evicted two people from designated resting sites yesterday for repeated violations of city ordinances. During a patrol check at Baker Park, Terry Carnicello was contacted because his tent was oversized and tied to a tree. He had been given several warnings about his tent. He was cited for both violations and trespassed from the park for 30 days. During a patrol check at the NE 7th Street resting site, Laurie Momney was cited for Utilization of Space. It was her second such citation, so she was issued a 30-day exclusion notice.

 

The Medford Police Department has arrested two juvenile suspects for their roles in last weekend's homicide in the parking lot of Wilson Elementary School. MPD officers responded to a report of a man down in the school parking lot located in the 1400-block of Johnson Street early Sunday morning. The man was identified as a 26-year-old Medford resident and he was pronounced deceased at the scene from what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds. MPD detectives obtained surveillance video from the school and nearby homes. The footage revealed that the shooting occurred at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. No calls for service related to suspicious activity or gunshots had been received. Utilizing resources from the Southern Oregon High Tech Crimes Task Force and in collaboration with the Medford School District, detectives swiftly identified the suspects. The investigation revealed that a 15-year-old girl allegedly lured the victim to the school where her 17-year-old male accomplice confronted the victim and shot him multiple times. Both suspects fled the scene on foot. Early Tuesday morning, an MPD officer located the 17-year-old male suspect riding a bicycle on Hawthorne Street. He attempted to flee into Hawthorne Park but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. Shortly thereafter, the 15-year-old female suspect was arrested at her residence in the 1500-block of Johnson Street. Due to their ages, the names of the juvenile suspects are not being released. The victim's family was notified and requested the name of the victim not be released. The juvenile suspects were lodged at the Jackson County Juvenile Detention Center on felony charges of 2nd-Degree Murder and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. The case has been referred to the District Attorney's Office for prosecution.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has identified the man who led deputies on a high-speed pursuit near Galice before plunging to his death off a cliff and into the Rogue River last weekend. On Sunday at 10:25 p.m., deputies attempted to stop a speeding motorcycle on Galice Road near Merlin. The motorcyclist failed to yield and continued outbound on Galice Road toward the river corridor. The pursuit continued through Galice and past Almeda Park. Near milepost 17, the rider lost control of the motorcycle, crashing off a cliff and into the river below. Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response responded. The area below the crash scene was searched by a drone camera equipped with thermal imaging capabilities. A marine deputy and Rural Metro crews launched a raft at Almeda Park, searching the river and along the riverbank to the Argo Recreation Site, but the rider was not located. On Monday morning, rafters located the body of 46-year-old Brock Andrew Ewers of Grants Pass near Whiskey Creek. The recovery of Ewers was a coordinated effort between the BLM River Rangers and Josephine County Search & Rescue. Next of kin have been notified. At the request of the Sheriff's Office, the Oregon State Police is investigating the fatal incident.