Local News

A woman known to be wanted on a Methamphetamine Possession warrant was arrested in the Walmart parking lot Tuesday at 8:50 a.m.

An officer with Grants Pass Police observed the suspect, Julie Hatt, at the 135 NE Terry Lane supercenter. She was known to have a police department warrant out for her arrest, so she was stopped and arrested.

A consent search was conducted, and the officer located two bags of a white crystal like substance that field tested presumptive positive for meth. Hatt's identity was confirmed, and she was transported to the Josephine County Jail.

She was lodged on her warrant as well as a Meth Possession charge.

 

Officers with the Grants Pass Police Department arrested a woman who was blocking the alleyway entrance to a downtown business Tuesday.

The suspect, Braylyn McElmurry, was reported to dispatch at 7:20 p.m. She was yelling, throwing things, and blocking the entrance to a business at the corner of SW 6th Street and SW I Street. It was requested she be trespassed.

Law enforcement, after positively identifying McElmurry, detained her and contacted her parole officer. A detainer was placed on McElmurry, but she began walking away from the scene, ignoring commands from officers to stop and that she was under arrest.

She was detained again, and placed into custody without force. Officers were informed by McElmurry that she had fentanyl on her person. She consented to a search of her person, and officers found a piece of foil and a substance that confirmed her claim.

McElmurry began complaining of medical needs. According to the officer report, she had no trouble speaking, no audible noises while breathing, and no obvious difficulty breathing. AMR was requested, and she was soon transported to Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

After being cleared at the hospital, McElmurry was transported and lodged in the Josephine County Jail for the detainer, and charges of Second Degree Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance, Third Degree Escape, and Resisting Arrest. Her belongings were logged for safekeeping, and she was trespassed from the downtown business.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man after he was reportedly throwing rocks at a passing motorcyclist Tuesday.

The cyclist called 911 at 6:04 p.m. reporting the suspect walking and standing in the middle of 6th Street near the Dollar General. He told dispatch the suspect had thrown rocks at him while he was driving by. There were no reported injuries and the motorcycle sustained no damage.

Upon arrival, officers contacted the suspect, Lee Rich, in front of the 1200 NW 6th Street store. He had reportedly been involved in multiple physical disturbances with different individuals over the course of 30 minutes before he was called in for the motorcycle incident.

Rich was taken into custody for Second Degree Disorderly Conduct, and lodged at the Josephine County Jail.

 

A male transient was arrested after kicking, punching, and leaning against a Human Bean employees SUV early this morning.

The manager of the 700 SE 7th Street coffee stand called 911 around 5:56 a.m. She said the suspect had reportedly been lingering at the location for about an hour, and demanded a free drink. He proceeded to kick and punch her vehicle, and was still leaning against the SUV when dispatch was notified.

She requested the transient be trespassed, and officers promptly arrived and detained the suspect, Jeffrey Richards. Despite being uncooperative, he was taken into custody after being found to be wanted on a Josephine County Sheriff's Office warrant for First Degree Criminal Mischief.

Richards was trespassed from the coffee stand, and officers transported him to the Adult Jail Facility where he was lodged.

 

Grants Pass Police officers lodged a woman after she resisted, tripped, and spit on them while arresting her for Second Degree Criminal Trespass.

The suspect, Marissa Winters, was instructed by staff at an undisclosed location on SW Foundry Street to leave Tuesday around 8:18 a.m. She refused, and law enforcement was requested to escort her out of the premises.

Upon arrival, officers told Winters she was under arrest, but she began to physically resist them. Winters attempted to swing her shoulder at one of the officers, tripped another, and then proceeded to spit on the first officer two to three times, striking her face and vest.

Winters tried kicking the same officer while she was being controlled on the ground as additional units responded. She spit on another officer, striking him in the neck, then was secured in leg restraints and a spit hood, and placed in a patrol vehicle.

Officers transported Winters to the Josephine County Jail. Police records show she was lodged on charges including Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree, Resisting Arrest, Attempted Assault on a Public Safety Officer, and Aggravated Harassment.

 

Oregon State Police responded to a fatal two-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 near milepost 90 in Douglas County Monday at 3 p.m. A white Freightliner commercial motor vehicle hauling a loaded trailer, operated by Brenden Larry Christensen, 61, of San Diego, had stalled on an uphill grade in the outside lane while traveling northbound on I-5 near Canyonville. The Freightliner was then struck by a maroon Honda CRV, operated by Davin Jack Smith, 18, of El Sobrante, causing the Honda and cargo in the commercial motor vehicle to catch fire. The Freightliner had reportedly stalled several times prior to the collision while climbing the grade. Smith was pronounced deceased at the scene. Three passengers in the Honda, Smith's father, sibling, and family friend, were transported to area hospitals with both serious and minor injuries. Christensen was not injured. Impairment is believed to be a contributing factor in the crash, and he was arrested for DUII and manslaughter. The highway was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation.

 

The Josephine County Board of Commissioners moved 3-0 to terminate the current budget committee members and ask for reapplications with positions for one, two, and three year terms. The board also approved a proposed hiring process for the Interim Emergency Manager Position, currently held by Sheriff Dave Daniel, during their 1:30 p.m. workshop. Applicants will be considered by a panel made up of Sheriff Daniel, Illinois Valley Fire Defense Board Chief John Holmes, Grants Pass Fire Chief Jimmy Sanchez, and Emergency Managers from both Douglas and Jackson Counties, Emily Ring and Delaney Richmond respectively. Human Resources will oversee the panel. The board also approved a Social Media Archiving Subscription used for criminal investigations and records requests. According to the Sheriff, the cost would be roughly $5,000 each month for a year. A motion to approve an Oregon Department of Corrections Intergovernmental Agreement passed 3-0, providing notification to victims if an offender is released or going to be released. Without objection, a Carson Fuel Invoice from Public Works was approved.

 

The results are in for the biggest Josephine County Food Bank's Say Cheese Fundraiser.

Thirty different restaurants participated throughout the month of March to, not only support the food bank, but to see who makes the 'Best Grilled Cheese in Grants Pass'. In a post on Facebook, the food bank announced the recipient of that honor is Cartwright's Taprock Northwest Grill.

Other awards went to the Wild River Pub for the 'Most Unique'. The 'Most Gourmet' grilled cheese went to Provolt Country Store and Deli, and the 'Cheesiest' went to Creekside Pizza and Pastaria.

For every grilled cheese sandwich sold from participating restaurants, two dollars were donated to the food bank, providing four meals for those struggling with food insecurity. Official tabulated results have yet to be released.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a woman trespassing at Resting Site 7, and cited three others Monday.

Officers on a patrol check of the 712 NE 7th Street site located Laurie Johnson around 12:28 p.m. She was warned for Disorderly Conduct, and promptly taken into custody for Second Degree Criminal Trespass.

Other suspects on site, John Cook, Kacie Huntley, and Michelle Richardson, were also contacted by law enforcement. All three were issued citations for Exceeding Footprint and Exceeding Stay at the resting site.

All were further issued exclusions, Huntley for 90 days, and Richardson and Cook for 30 days. Officers transported Johnson to the Josephine County Adult Jail Facility where she was lodged for her trespassing charge.