Local News

Southern Oregon Roller Derby is holding its second bout of the 2025 season on Saturday at the Medford Armory against California's Shasta Roller Derby. Southern Oregon Derby will have concessions and team merchandise available at the game. In addition, there will be a bake sale and silent auction with proceeds going to their service partner Food & Friends. Food & Friends is the "Meals on Wheels" and Senior Meals Program for Jackson and Josephine counties. They deliver meals to the homes of older adults who are unable to shop or prepare meals due to illness, injury or disability. Each month, their volunteers deliver more than 21,000 meals to seniors and serve over 3,000 meals at their 10 congregate senior dining centers in Southern Oregon. In 2024, the program served over 288,000 meals to over 3,000 people in Jackson and Josephine counties. For more information about Food & Friends, please visit "rvcog.org" and follow them on Facebook at "Food & Friends of Southern Oregon."

 

UPDATE: SUSPECT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS 36-YEAR-OLD FRANKLIN JAMES HODSON OF GRANTS PASS.

A suspect wanted on a nationwide fugitive warrant died by apparent suicide yesterday during a high-risk traffic stop near Central Point. The Jackson County Sheriff's office reports deputies and United States Marshals were in the Table Rock Road area searching for a suspect with 15 nationwide extraditable warrants for child sex abuse. Deputies said the suspect was involved in a domestic altercation on Orr Drive in rural Central Point last Sunday when he threatened a woman with a firearm. They developed probable cause for his arrest for Domestic Menacing, Unlawful Use of a Firearm and the sex abuse warrants. Law enforcement learned of the suspect's whereabouts, attempted to detain him and he eluded capture in a vehicle on Wednesday afternoon. Deputies and US Marshals conducted a high-risk traffic stop near the intersection of Orr Drive and Table Rock Road. After a brief standoff, the man apparently shot himself and died. The suspect was wanted out of California for 15 child sex abuse charges. The felony warrants were for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14. The suspect's name will be released following next-of-kin notification. The Oregon State Police responded to conduct the investigation and all additional information will come from OSP.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man early today for roughing up his longtime wife at a home in the Redwood area last weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested a 51-year-old male subject for the incident in the 1600-block of Willow Lane at 1:25 this morning. Police said a woman called to report there was a physical domestic disturbance with her husband of 24 years on Saturday. She told dispatchers that her husband placed both hands around her neck and impeded her breathing for one minute, leaving her with bruises and moderate pain. Officers arrived on scene, interviewed both parties and the husband admitted to choking his wife. It was unclear why the wife waited to report the incident until late last night. The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Domestic 4th-Degree Assault and Domestic Menacing. He was being held without bail pending his court arraignment this afternoon.

 

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant yesterday after responding to a disorderly conduct incident on Williams Highway. The Police Department reports officers arrested 44-year-old Brandon David Chipps in the 2100-block of Highway 238 on Wednesday at 3:17 p.m.. Police said they received reports of a male subject taking off his clothes, screaming and walking into traffic on the highway. One caller stated that the man left a pile of items and a bicycle on the sidewalk in front of their home. Officers arrived on scene, contacted Chipps and discovered that he was wanted on an Oregon State Penitentiary warrant for Parole Violation related to a conviction for Unlawful Use of a Weapon. He was placed into custody without incident. Chipps was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a no-bail detainer. His bicycle and belongings were logged into evidence for safekeeping.

 

Police arrested a man on a local warrant and for drug possession yesterday while responding to a disturbance at the Grants Pass Shopping Center. According to GPPD, officers were patrolling the shopping center off NE D Street during the noon hour on Wednesday when they heard yelling and screaming coming from the alley near Magic Donuts. Police said they observed a woman actively screaming at a man whom they later identified as 35-year-old Wayne Patrick Baker. They said the argument was verbal only, but it caused workers to come outside their nearby businesses. Upon contact with Baker, officers discovered that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for 3rd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. During a consent search, Baker admitted to being in possession of a methamphetamine pipe. The pipe tested positive for meth residue and it was seized for destruction. Baker was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Meth Possession. The woman -- identified by police as "Morgan Botello" -- was warned for Disorderly Conduct.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested two people on outstanding warrants yesterday during separate incidents in the Merlin and Cave Junction areas. The Sheriff's Office reports the first incident occurred on Wednesday at 2:28 a.m. when deputies arrested 43-year-old Randy John Jacobson at the Area 61 Taphouse in the 3400-block of Merlin Road. Deputies said Jacobson and another man were the subject of a trespassing call at the business. Upon contact, they learned that he was wanted on a Del Norte County felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Crimes Against a Person. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail without bail. The second incident happened on Wednesday at 12:58 p.m. when deputies arrested 45-year-old Dorothy Mae Valk in the 300-block of South Junction Avenue. Deputies said they pulled over Valk for not stopping while emerging from a private driveway. They said a records check showed that she was wanted on a Josephine County warrant for failing to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. She was lodged in jail on the warrant and for Suspended Driving.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for theft and drug possession late yesterday during a shoplifting incident at Home Depot. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a theft complaint at the store on NE Mill Street on Wednesday around 5:15 p.m.. Police said 48-year-old Justin Lee Stout collected more than $350 worth of items from Home Depot and passed all points of sale without paying for the goods. He was detained by loss prevention and the stolen items were recovered. Officers arrived on scene and -- during a consent search -- Stout was found to be in possession of a baggie containing methamphetamine. He advised them that he has been dealing meth, but not using it. It was seized for destruction. Stout was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Theft and Meth Possession. He was being held without bail.

 

A pedestrian was struck and killed on Redwood Highway in the Selma area early yesterday. The Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and Oregon State Police were dispatched to the vehicle versus pedestrian crash in the 18,400-block of US Highway 199 on Wednesday at 5:19 a.m.. Few details about the incident have been released, but IVFD officials said a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle while crossing the highway and the unidentified person was pronounced deceased at the scene. Officials said a detour was set up to divert traffic around the crash zone during the OSP investigation.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for suspected drug trafficking in the city this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 27-year-old Tanner James Brewer in an unspecified location on Tuesday afternoon. Police disclosed no details about the investigation that led to Brewer's arrest, but he was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges including Possession and Delivery of Methamphetamine, Possession and Delivery of Cocaine, and Possession of Oxycodone. Brewer was still being held without bail on Wednesday afternoon.