Local News

Police arrested a woman on an outside felony warrant last night during a welfare check near the Grants Pass Shopping Center. According to GPPD, officers contacted 27-year-old Sarena Lynn Dukart in the 500-block of NE Anderson Street on Tuesday shortly after 9 p.m.. Police said they responded to reports of a female subject slumped over the steering wheel of a Volkswagen Jetta parked at that location. The callers said the passenger door was open, but there was no one else in or near the vehicle. They requested a welfare check and expressed concerns the woman might try to drive the car. Upon contact with Dukart, officers discovered that she was wanted on a Lane County felony warrant for absconding on her probation for an unspecified crime. Dukart was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a wrong-way motorist for violating a court order early yesterday in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Ford F-150 pickup driven by 43-year-old Jesse Bruce Sweet near the corner of NE 6th Street and Hillcrest Drive on Tuesday around 12:45 a.m.. Police said they stopped Sweet after they observed him traveling north on southbound 6th Street. They said he is not from this area and his wife was identified as his passenger. A records check revealed that Sweet's wife was legally protected from him in a valid court order through Coos County. Sweet was placed into custody and lodged in jail without bail for Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation. He was being held without bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Cave Junction man on outstanding warrants during a Redwood Highway traffic stop in Selma late yesterday. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a BMW 525 driven by 21-year-old Austin Lee McClanahan near milepost 19 of US Highway 199 around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday. Troopers said they stopped McClanahan for a traffic violation and discovered that he was wanted on two local warrants for failing to appear in court for Attempt to Elude Police, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Suspended Driving. McClanahan was transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail on the warrants. He was being held on $35,000 bail and his BMW was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for trespassing twice at a local retailer over the past few days. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 31-year-old Kody Tyler Halverson on the Grants Pass Parkway near Fred Meyer on Tuesday at 10:32 p.m.. Police said Halverson had been trespassed from Fred Meyer in October, but he returned to the store on two separate occasions this week. On Sunday morning, he walked through the parking lot and officers were unable to locate him. Last night, he was observed inside the store near the electronics department. Both incidents were captured on video surveillance and Halverson was wearing the same clothing. After being contacted last night, he admitted to being at the store. Halverson was lodged in jail without bail for two counts of 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. His trespass warning was updated.

 

A White City bicyclist was struck and killed by a vehicle in rural Central Point early yesterday. Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon Dispatch received a call from the involved driver about the accident on Foothill Road near Corey Road on Tuesday at 4:44 a.m.. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office reports deputies, Jackson County Fire District #3 and Mercy Flights responded. The bicyclist -- 45-year-old Matthew Edward Davenport -- was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and pronounced deceased at 5:42 a.m.. Next-of-kin has been notified. The Jackson County Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team responded to investigate the incident. The preliminary investigation indicates a southbound 2021 Toyota 4-Runner struck the bicyclist on the shoulder of Foothill Road. The driver is cooperating with the investigation and no criminal charges have been filed at this time. The STAR Team consists of investigators from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Medford Police Department, Central Point Police Department and Jackson County District Attorney's Office.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant this week following a foot pursuit through the downtown area. The Police Department reports officers eventually arrested 33-year-old Derek Miguel Withrow at the A-1 Market & Deli on SW G Street on Monday night. Police said the incident began when a woman called 9-1-1 to report that Withrow punched her in the face, he had a gun and was threatening to shoot another man. The woman refused to identify herself and she did not have any observed injuries. Withrow was found to be wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Felony Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for a weapons offense. He was spotted at SE 7th and K streets, but fled on foot when officers attempted to contact him. Withrow ran through downtown, was located inside the market and surrendered peacefully after being challenged with an arrest team and K-9 officer. Withrow was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the outstanding warrant. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested two motorists on outstanding warrants in one night this week following separate incidents in Selma and Grants Pass. According to OSP, the first incident occurred on Monday evening when state troopers assisted the Josephine County Sheriff's Office in locating a suspect from a domestic violence call for service in the 900-block of Lakeshore Drive near Selma. Troopers located, detained and arrested 44-year-old Justin Lee Brighman due to local warrants for Felony Parole and Probation violations. He was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus a new charge of Domestic Harassment. He was being held on a no-bail detainer. The second incident happened late Monday night when troopers pulled over a Chevrolet Tahoe driven by 36-year-old Jay William Oncher-Fontaine of Glendale on NE 7th Street near Hillcrest Drive in Grants Pass. Troopers said they stopped Oncher-Fontaine for a traffic violation and discovered that he was wanted on a Douglas County warrant for Probation Violation plus his driver's license had been suspended. He was lodged in jail on the warrant and a new charge of Driving While Suspended. His vehicle was impounded.

 

A Grants Pass Police Department investigation into an animal complaint led to the arrest of a woman on a local felony warrant this week. According to GPPD, officers responded to multiple reports of dogs at large and scattering rubbish complaints at a home in the 500-block of SE L Street late Monday afternoon. Police said they contacted a woman identified as 51-year-old Michele Nicole Hoover who advised that she was in the process of separating from her husband. She admitted that they have four dogs on the property and at least one of them has escaped several times. She said she was trying to move out as soon as possible. A routine records check showed that Hoover was wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for 4th-Degree Assault. She was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail. Officers noted a large amount trash and disabled vehicles on the property. They advised the husband that a notice of violation will be coming with expectations of compliance for the animal violations, disabled vehicles and scattered rubbish.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on two local warrants this week after responding to a repeat shoplifting complaint at Walmart. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to a Monday afternoon theft complaint involving 52-year-old David Patrick Banks at the store on NE Terry Lane. Police said Banks had been detained by Walmart loss prevention for stealing vanilla, lemon and coconut extracts. A store manager advised this was the fourth time that the suspect had wiped the shelves clean, but GPPD was too busy to respond and a case was never started. The manager wanted to pursue charges. Banks admitted to the thefts and said he is an alcoholic. He told officers the extracts are more than 90% alcohol and "it's better than any moonshine you can find." A records check showed that he was wanted on two Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court for 3rd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. Banks was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus four counts of 3rd-Degree Theft. He was released a short time later for medical reasons.