Local News

The 3rd Annual Health, Wellness & Education Fair is set for this weekend at the Josephine County Fairgrounds in Grants Pass. Fruitdale Grange along with this year's sponsors -- Grants Pass Family YMCA, AllCare Health and Team Senior -- bring you the 2025 event on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Fairgrounds Commercial Building. This community event is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles and providing resources for a better future. The Fair will offer speakers, vendors and a variety of activities focused on physical, mental and emotional well-being. Educational and healthy products will be on hand as well as food trucks. Fruitdale Grange President Jill Hamm encourages residents to take an active role in their health and wellness journey by attending Saturday's event.

 

The Oregon State Police cited a Merlin woman for causing a collision between a passenger vehicle and fuel tanker truck on Interstate 5 just north of Grants Pass early yesterday. The crash injured the woman and her juvenile passenger. OSP reports troopers and emergency crews responded to the two-vehicle crash in the southbound lanes of I-5 near milepost 59 on Monday at 10:22 a.m.. Troopers said evidence at the scene and witness statements indicated a Kia Forte driven by a 26-year-old Merlin woman swerved out of its lane and collided with the tanker truck driven by a 57-year-old Eugene man. The Merlin woman and her 7-year-old female passenger were transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. According to OSP, the damaged Kia was towed. The semi-truck was able to be driven away from the scene after a hazardous materials inspection related to a broken valve on the tanker. Following the investigation, the Merlin woman was cited at the hospital for Failure to Maintain Lane and No Operator's License. OSP was assisted by Rural Metro Fire Department, Grants Pass Fire & Rescue and American Medical Response.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant last night 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 at 7:05 p.m. Monday. 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 last night following separate incidents in Selma and Grants Pass. According to OSP, the first incident occurred on Monday at 6:08 p.m. 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 on Monday at 10:20 p.m. 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 late yesterday. 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 yesterday after responding to a repeat shoplifting complaint at Walmart. The Police Department reports officers were alerted to a theft complaint involving 52-year-old David Patrick Banks at the store on NE Terry Lane on Monday around 3:40 p.m.. 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.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on four local warrants during a weekend patrol check near GPPD headquarters. According to the Police Department, officers contacted 65-year-old Sean Dennis O'Keefe at the corner of NE 7th and A streets on Sunday at 7:25 p.m.. Police said they spotted O'Keefe and recognized him from prior contacts. They also knew that he was wanted on four Grants Pass warrants for failing to appear in court once for Methamphetamine Possession and three times for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. After the warrants were confirmed by the Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center, O'Keefe was booked into the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. He was being held in lieu of posting $50,000 bail.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man on an outstanding warrant after a weekend traffic stop on the southeast side of the city. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Honda Accord driven by 26-year-old Shawn Michael Fleming-Kobrzycki near the intersection of Rogue River Highway and Parkdale Drive on Sunday at 8:22 p.m.. Police said they stopped the car for a traffic violation and they quickly learned that Fleming-Kobrzycki was wanted on a local bench warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving under the Influence of Intoxicants. Fleming-Kobrzycki was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant and his Honda was impounded.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on an outstanding warrant following a late-night weekend traffic stop in the north part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers pulled over a Chevrolet Cruze driven by 56-year-old Brooke Yvette Thompson in the 1800-block of NE 7th Street on Sunday at 11:19 p.m.. Police said they stopped the car for expired registration tags and discovered that Thompson was wanted on a Central Point Police Department warrant for failing to appear in court for Heroin Possession. She also had no insurance on her car. Thompson was cited to appear in Jackson County Circuit Court on the warrant and the traffic violation before she was released from custody.