Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested two people for being where they weren't supposed to be on the same day last weekend. According to the Police Department, the first incident occurred on Saturday around 5 a.m. when officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving 41-year-old Gayle Lee Hooper at Three Rivers Medical Center on SW Ramsey Avenue. Police said Hooper was released from treatment at the hospital emergency room, but she refused to leave her room after multiple requests. She was arrested and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. The second incident occurred on Saturday at 4:50 p.m. when officers responded to a trespassing call involving 71-year-old Russell Dewitt Coe at Royal Trailer Park on Lewis Avenue. Police said Coe returned to the trailer park where he had twice been previously trespassed and evicted. They said the park maintenance manager saw him going back into the space where he used to live. He was arrested and lodged in jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for impaired driving after a weekend traffic stop in downtown Cave Junction. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Toyota Corolla driven by 31-year-old Shane Tyler McCarthy on Redwood Highway near East River Street on Saturday around 10:30 p.m.. Troopers said they stopped McCarthy for multiple traffic violations and he showed several signs of impairment. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was transported to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was more than twice the legal driving limit. Shane McCarthy was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and he was lodged at the Sobering Center. His car was impounded.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department has entered 2024 without one of its longtime leaders. On December 28th, GPPD celebrated the retirement of Captain Todd Moran. It was a testament to his dedication, leadership and commitment to his community. Moran's career in public service began in 1996 when he joined the Klamath Falls Police Department as a reserve officer. He was appointed as a deputy with the Josephine County Sheriff's Office one year later and he joined the Grants Pass Police Department in 2000. Moran's climb through the ranks at GPPD was nothing short of remarkable. He was promoted to Corporal in 2004, achieved the rank of Sergeant in 2012 and became a Lieutenant two years later. He was named Captain in 2020. Moran wore many hats throughout his career, serving as a Field Training Officer, K-9 Handler and as a member of the SWAT Command and Crisis Negotiation Teams. He accumulated over 2,400 hours of training and received a management certificate. Though his absence will be felt, GPPD congratulates Captain Todd Moran on a well-deserved retirement. His legacy will endure in the hearts and minds of those he touched along the way.

 

Grants Pass Police recovered a stolen vehicle and arrested a woman on a felony weapons charge following a weekend traffic stop on Rogue River Highway. The Police Department reports officers pulled over a 2023 Pacifica minivan on Highway 99 near Parkdale Drive on Sunday at 11:07 a.m.. Police they stopped the minivan after it was determined that it had been stolen out of Riverside, California. It was driven by a man identified as Pierre Razo and occupied by a woman identified as 41-year-old Molly Allen Huerta. Huerta's ex-boyfriend reported that she had stolen the minivan, but he did not want to pursue charges of vehicle theft. However, Huerta was found to be in possession of a short-barreled shotgun, which was seized as evidence as was the vehicle. Molly Huerta was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Felony Possession of a Prohibited Firearm. She was being held without bail. After being detained and interviewed, Pierre Razo was released.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for hitting another man and threatening others with a large stick at a southwest city gas station-convenience store early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to the disturbance at Speedway Express in the Allen Creek Shopping Center on Monday shortly after 4 a.m.. Police said 49-year-old Daniel Reese Wise, Jr., entered the station and got into a verbal argument with employees when he refused to leave. They said the suspect then demanded assistance with his bicycle and a physical altercation erupted when they refused. Wise struck one worker with a large stick, causing physical injury and placing him in fear of serious physical injury or death. He also caused alarm to other employees and customers with his loud and tumultuous behavior. Responding officers placed Daniel Wise into custody without further incident. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 2nd-Degree Assault, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing and Disorderly Conduct. He was being held without bail. His bicycle was placed in safekeeping and he was trespassed from the station.

 

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man for a weekend incident of domestic violence near Murphy. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies responded to a domestic disturbance in the 600-block of Copper Drive on Sunday at about 10:15 a.m.. Deputies said they received a call from a woman who reported her daughter was injured when her boyfriend broke a window out of a vehicle. The daughter had sent photos of several cuts to her face and hands to her mother, asking her to call 9-1-1. Upon arrival, deputies interviewed the victim and 44-year-old Michael Robert Warren while documenting the victim's injuries. As a result, the suspect was placed into custody. Michael Warren was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 4th-Degree Domestic Assault and 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. He was being held without bail.

 

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office welcomes a new K-9 officer to its ranks in 2024. K-9 Sjeffie (Sheffie) is a 2-1/2-year-old male Dutch Shepherd who recently graduated from a five-week training along with his handler, Deputy Ridout. Deputy Ridout reported K-9 Sjeffie is very smart and learns quickly. The dog did very well in handler school which included daily physical training, canine care, tracking, building searches, obedience, legal parameters and case law, and apprehension training. At the end of handler school, Deputy Ridout and Sjeffie passed the Oregon Police Canine Association (OPCA) standardized certification. Ridout said his long-term goal was becoming a K-9 Handler during his six years in law enforcement. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit now has four full-time patrol teams, ensuring 24/7 coverage for the community. All four patrol dogs come from the same local breeders and trainers -- Dutch Canine and Emma Delacruz.

 

Hospital officials and police are saying little about a Southern Oregon news report that an employee at a Medford hospital diverted medicine, resulting in the death of at least one person. The Oregonian/OregonLive has not independently verified the report from KOBI-TV in Medford, which cited unnamed sources about the incident at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. Lieutenant Geoff Kirkpatrick of the Medford Police Department would confirm to The Oregonian/OregonLive only that police are investigating an incident, but he would not describe the scope of the investigation or provide any details. A spokesperson for Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, Lauren Van Sickle, did not answer questions Sunday from The Oregonian/OregonLive about how many people may have died or when the hospital alerted police. KOBI-TV reported Friday that police were investigating at least one patient death at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. On Saturday, the television station further reported that unnamed sources alleged nine or 10 people had died from infections stemming from the diversion of medicine. Officials with the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon State Police, Oregon Medical Examiner and the FBI did not return messages seeking comment last weekend.

 

With the New Year here, Oregon health officials are asking people to resolve in 2024 to get vaccinated against respiratory viruses that are on the rise in the state. Dr. Dean Sidelinger, health officer and state epidemiologist for the Oregon Health Authority, says vaccination remains the best way for Oregonians to protect themselves against COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -- and it's not too late to get any of the vaccines. The renewed push for vaccinations comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published the latest version of a report on Fall 2023 respiratory virus vaccination coverage among adults. The report includes national and jurisdiction-specific estimates for influenza, COVID-19 and RSV vaccination coverage among adults 18 and older from the National Immunization Survey-Adult COVID Module. CDC forecasting predicts a steady increase of hospitalizations. According to the report, 25% of eligible Oregon adults have received the 2023-24 COVID-19 vaccine, 40.8% have received the influenza vaccine, and 20.3% have received the RSV vaccine.