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Two Motor Vehicle Accidents in Illinois Valley Sent 2 to Hospitals with Injuries

Two motor vehicle accidents in the Illinois Valley sent two people to hospitals late yesterday -- one of them with severe injuries. On Tuesday at 4:44 p.m., the Oregon State Police, Illinois Valley Fire District and American Medical Response were dispatched to a two-vehicle crash in the 5100-block of Caves Highway. OSP reports the driver of a Honda CRV struck a motorcycle ridden by 22-year-old Donald Austin of Cave Junction and fled the scene. Austin was transported by AMR ambulance to IVFD Station #2 in Selma where a Mercy Flights helicopter flew him to Rogue Regional Medical Center with very serious injuries. The damaged Honda was located and seized, but the driver was not identified as the investigation is ongoing. On Tuesday at 5:09 p.m., OSP, IVFD and AMR responded to a two-vehicle crash near milepost 36 of Redwood Highway. According to OSP, a Ford Focus driven by 42-year-old Michael John Folkins of Crescent City, California, failed to yield to oncoming traffic while re-entering the highway from a turnout. The car struck a Ford F-150 pickup driven by 32-year-old Chelsie Paul of O'Brien. Paul was transported by AMR ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Both vehicles were towed away. Following the investigation, Folkins was cited or warned for the traffic violation.

Posted on 6/4/25 11:23AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Jailed Woman for Forcing Man off Merlin Property and Attacking Him

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a woman for forcing a man off a property in Merlin and then attacking him at a nearby marijuana dispensary. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 40-year-old Kristen Xaros on Tuesday shortly after 11 a.m. for the incident that occurred Monday night in the 400-block of Robertson Bridge Road and the 300-block of Merlin Road. Deputies said a man called 9-1-1 to report that Xaros forced him off the property with a knife and attempted to stab him multiple times. The caller said he ran to safety at the marijuana dispensary, but Xaros and two men followed him in a vehicle to the pot store where they began punching and kicking him. The suspects fled after grabbing the victim's phone. The victim refused medical attention. Upon arrival, deputies reviewed surveillance video that clearly showed three suspects assaulting the victim. The victim did not want to pursue charges, but because the victim and Xaros were in a previous relationship and have a young child together, her arrest was required by state law. Xaros was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 3rd-Degree Domestic Assault. Charges of Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing were referred to the District Attorney's Office for consideration.

Posted on 6/4/25 11:21AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Collared Woman on Felony Warrant for Parole Violation after CJ Chase

The Josephine County Sheriff Office apprehended a woman on a local warrant for violating her post-prison supervision following a Cave Junction pursuit yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies eventually arrested 27-year-old Katherine Denae Rodriguez near the Illinois Valley Community Center on Tuesday at 11:37 a.m.. Deputies said they spotted Rodriguez walking near the intersection of South Redwood and Caves highways and they knew she was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a previous conviction for Felony Attempt to Elude Police. True to form, Rodriguez took off running toward the Cave Junction Water Treatment Plant and doubled back through a parking lot before she was placed into custody at Taser point. Rodriguez was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. She was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 6/4/25 11:20AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Woman for Trying to Steal Mail from Home near Resting Site

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman for trying to steal mail from a home near a downtown homeless encampment yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a theft complaint at a home in the 800-block of NW 5th Street -- about a block away from the 5th Street resting site -- on Tuesday around 3:45 p.m.. Police said 37-year-old Melissa Sue Koenig walked up to the front porch of the home and removed mail from the attached US Postal Service box. They said she then picked up a package off the porch and was confronted by the residents. Koenig gave the items back and fled from the scene, but was located nearby. The victims' surveillance camera captured the entire incident, which clearly showed the suspect removing mail out of the mailbox. Koenig was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Mail Theft. She was also trespassed from the victims' residence.

Posted on 6/4/25 11:18AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Pair on Warrants after Suspicious Activity at Shopping Plaza

Grants Pass Police arrested two people on outstanding warrants yesterday after receiving reports of suspicious activity in the Williams Highway Plaza. According to the Police Department, officers responded to the incident in the parking lot near Rite Aid on Tuesday at about 3:40 p.m.. Police said several people called 9-1-1 to report two occupants of a camper who appeared to be dealing drugs. The callers reported seeing a lot of foot traffic at the camper and that the occupants had covered up the windows to obstruct their view of what was taking place inside. Officers arrived on scene and contacted 28-year-old Millana Lavaun Hathaway and 31-year-old Jacob Allen Jensen. They said there was no evidence of drug dealing. However, both Hathaway and Jensen were found to be wanted on Ashland Police Department warrants for Probation Violation related to arrests for Heroin and Methamphetamine Possession, respectively. Hathaway was also wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Criminal Trespass. Hathaway and Jensen were lodged in jail on the warrants.

Posted on 6/4/25 11:16AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Pair for Drug Possession after NW City Neighborhood Call

Grants Pass Police arrested two people for drug possession while investigating a trespassing complaint in a northwest city neighborhood early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers found 44-year-old Nathanael James Young and 18-year-old Serenity Denise Stark asleep in a running Ford pickup parked near the intersection of NW Crown Street and Starlite Place on Tuesday at about 8:40 a.m.. Officers said a glass pipe was observed in plain sight between Young and Stark, which contained a white crystal substance. Both subjects were removed from the vehicle and a similar pipe was observed in the passenger seat. Neither party would claim ownership of the pipes, which contained methamphetamine residue. Young and Stark refused to speak about the matter before they were placed into custody. Both were lodged in jail for Meth Possession. The pickup was towed for being parked in a "No Parking" zone.

Posted on 6/4/25 11:15AM by Sam Marsh

Multiple Agencies Worked Together to Suppress Vegetation Fire near Selma

Multiple agencies worked together to suppress a vegetation fire in the Selma area last night. On Tuesday at 8:26 p.m., the Illinois Valley Fire District and Rural Metro Fire Department responded to reports of smoke coming from the 500-block of Squaw Mountain Road. Upon arrival, crews found a small fire burning in heavy brush. With assistance from the Oregon Department of Forestry, the blaze was quickly extinguished and contained at 1/10th of a acre. ODF was investigating the cause of the fire.

Posted on 6/4/25 11:13AM by Sam Marsh

Sheriff's Office Still Investigating Weekend Burglary on Holland Loop Road in CJ

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate a burglary that occurred last weekend at an unoccupied property near Cave Junction. On Saturday around 8:45 a.m., deputies responded to a burglary-in-progress in the 3800-block of Holland Loop Road. Prior to the arrival of law enforcement, three males and two females fled the scene. Two of the subjects left in a white Toyota pickup. The Oregon State Police assisted deputies in attempting to locate the vehicle, but they were unsuccessful. Two of the three suspects who fled on foot were apprehended and two additional suspects who had not fled were apprehended at the scene. The four were identified as 49-year-old Marc Robert Edwards, 49-year-old Joshua Ian Downing, 45-year-old Julie Reanne Love and 26-year-old Sage Elizabeth Williams. They were lodged in jail for charges including Burglary, Theft and Criminal Trespass. Sheriff's officials said two of the three suspects still at large have been identified as the case remains under investigation. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Sheriff's Office at (541)-474-5123.

Posted on 6/4/25 6:40AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man for Parole Violation after Code Violations at Resting Site

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for violating his post-prison supervision after he committed multiple code violations at a downtown resting site this week. The Police Department reports officers contacted 34-year-old Shane Alan Barton at the NW 5th Street resting site on Monday. Police said Barton initially gave them his brother's name as they prepared to cite him for Offensive Littering. They said he admitted to fentanyl use, but would not allow officers to search his tent because it was filled with syringes, pipes and foil. Barton had two tents in the northeast corner of the resting site and indicated that all the items around them could be thrown away. His corrections officer was contacted and he was placed into custody. Barton was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Offensive Littering and the resulting Felony Parole Violation. He was also trespassed from the resting site for 30 days and was being held on a no-bail detainer. Meanwhile, Russell Thompson was cited for park rule violations related to the oversized footprint of his tent and for Scattering Rubbish. Thompson was also warned for having propane tanks in his tent to power a heater. He became hostile with officers and was issued a 30-day exclusion.

Posted on 6/4/25 6:31AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man for Felony Traffic Violation after He Ran Out of Gas

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for a felony traffic violation after he ran out of gas with two young children in his vehicle at a neighborhood market this week. The Police Department reports officers contacted 29-year-old Andre Blair Cotton, Jr., at the Short Stop Market in the 2,000-block of SW Bridge Street on Monday afternoon. Police said the store manager reported a male subject in a dark-colored Jeep ran out of gas in the parking lot. The caller told dispatchers the man had no money, no food and two young children with him who looked hot, dirty and hungry. A welfare check on the children -- ages 3 and 4 -- was requested. Officers contacted Cotton and he admitted to driving to the market. His license was found to be suspended at the felony level and he was not driving for an emergency reason. He was placed into custody and the Jeep was impounded. Cotton was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Aggravated Driving While Suspended and he was being held without bail. The children's grandmother responded to the market and took custody of them.

Posted on 6/4/25 6:30AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Man for Failing to Pay for Haircut and Causing Disturbances

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for failing to pay for a haircut, fleeing from the business and not cooperating with officers when they placed him into custody. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance at Rogue Barbers on NW 6th Street late Monday afternoon. Police said an employee called 9-1-1 to report that man identified as 37-year-old Kyle William Jenrette refused to pay for the $28 haircut, they got into an argument and the man threatened physical violence before he fled in his Ford pickup. Officers quickly located Jenrette and contacted him, but he refused to comply after being told he was under arrest. The suspect stayed inside his truck and rolled up his windows, not listening to the commands of officers. He was eventually arrested. Further investigation determined that Jenrette created numerous calls for service throughout the day and had been given warnings. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct and Theft of Services. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 6/4/25 6:20AM by Sam Marsh

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