Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for multiple crimes after he allegedly beat up another man at a city park and stole some of the victim's belongings yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a reported assault at Baker Park on Thursday shortly before 9 a.m.. Police said a man they identified as "Daniel Wise" contacted them and reported that 48-year-old Demetrius Elward Hughes had attacked him and stole his bike as well as his puppy, a cell phone, backpack and prescription medication. Officers tracked down Hughes on the nearby Texas property and he admitted to punching Wise during a property dispute as well as stealing the victim's property, which he said were comic books of unknown value. He denied stealing any of the other items reported by the victim and there was no evidence of additional thefts. According to the report, the theft of the GT Slipstream bike with Harley handle bars and yellow accents along with the Pitbull-mix puppy and other items was entered into a police report. However, there was no suspect information. Demetrius Hughes was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Assault, 3rd-Degree Theft and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was also trespassed from Baker Park for 30 days.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man yesterday for violating a court order by returning twice to his grandfather's residence in the southeast part of the city. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 200-block of SE Linden Lane on Thursday shortly after 5 p.m.. Police said 40-year-old Andrew Graham Nathaniel Logan went to his grandfather's home the first time to retrieve some of property after his grandfather had obtained a court order prohibiting him from being there. The suspect reportedly had been sleeping underneath the house and left his wallet there. When his grandfather locked him out of the house and told him to wait for police, the suspect yelled at his family member before walking away. The victim called back later to report his grandson returned and was hanging out at the park. Andrew Logan was located by police at Eckstein Park and -- after the court order was confirmed by the Sheriff's Office -- he was placed into custody. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation and was being held without bail.

 

A Grants Pass motorist was arrested for driving recklessly in the local area for the second time in the past two weeks. Grants Pass Police contacted 64-year-old Thomas Michael Campbell in the Wells Fargo Bank parking lot in the 200-block of NE 6th Street at 3:15 p.m. Thursday. Police said Campbell was called in as a traffic complaint by witnesses who stated that he was driving a Toyota Sequoia and ran through three separate red lights on the Grants Pass Parkway during rush hour while flipping off several motorists and yelling at others. The complaints were very similar to those reported last week. Thomas Campbell was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Reckless Driving. He was still in custody this morning.

 

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass man for suspended driving after a traffic stop in the North Valley area late last night. OSP reports troopers pulled over a Nissan Quest driven by 66-year-old Daniel Ray Rucker near the intersection of Plumtree Lane and Glenbe Drive around 11:30 p.m. Thursday. Troopers said they stopped Rucker for a traffic violation and discovered that his driving privileges had been suspended. Rucker was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving While Suspended and his vehicle was impounded.

 

A Brookings man was killed this week when his vehicle crashed into trees and burst into flames off Redwood Highway near O'Brien. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the single-vehicle accident near milepost 39 of US Highway 199 on Wednesday at about 12:25 p.m.. Troopers said the preliminary investigation indicates a Chevrolet Avalanche driven by 59-year-old John Anton Renner, IV, of Brookings was traveling south when the vehicle left the highway for unknown reasons, crashed into a group of trees and caught on fire. According to OSP, Renner was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no passengers in the vehicle. Redwood Highway was impacted for about four hours due to the fatal crash. OSP was assisted by the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, Illinois Valley Fire District, American Medical Response and Oregon Department of Transportation.

 

The Grants Pass Police Department was seeking public assistance in locating a man who was reported missing this week. According to the GPPD Facebook page, 38-year-old Kendall Walls did not return home on January 23rd, his cell phone was turned off and his whereabouts is not known. Walls is described as a white male adult, 6-feet-1-inch tall and 190 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He wears glasses. The missing man has tattoos of a ship under his right arm and a whale on his chest. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Kendall Walls is urged to call the Grants Pass Police Department at (541)-450-6260 or contact any law enforcement agency. Please refer to Case #2024-3049.

 

Video surveillance helped Grants Pass Police with a vandalism investigation that resulted in the arrest of a suspect on Wednesday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 42-year-old Jennifer Rachelle Perez at Taser point at Koi Sushi on NE Hillcrest Drive on Wednesday. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report she was visiting a friend staying at Motel 6 on Monday when Perez came to the room. The caller said she did not let the woman in because her friend was in the shower. She then observed the suspect standing next to her vehicle and later discovered her passenger-side tires had been slashed. The value of the tires on the Toyota Corolla were valued at about $250. The vandalism victim did not see the crime happen, but motel video surveillance captured a person matching Perez's description leaning down and slashing the tires. Probable cause was developed due to the video and officers starting looking for the suspect. They eventually located the suspect's vehicle parked next to the restaurant. Jennifer Perez was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief. She was being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for leaving a mound of trash on the side of the Parkway near an illegal campsite. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving 33-year-old Ryan Burrows at Big 5 Sporting Goods late Wednesday afternoon. Police said the Big 5 manager called 9-1-1 to report that Burrows had set up a campsite in some bushes between their building and the Parkway. The caller said they told the man he couldn't be there, but he refused to leave or clean up his site. Responding officers contacted Burrows and advised him that he was under arrest. Ryan Burrows was placed into custody, charged with Offensive Littering and lodged at the nearby adult jail facility. He was also trespassed from the business.

 

The Oregon State Police solved a missing person case when troopers made a traffic stop in north Grants Pass last weekend. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Nissan Quest driven by a 23-year-old Grants Pass man near the intersection of NE 6th Street and Hillcrest Drive late Sunday night. During the traffic stop, it was discovered that the driver was listed as a missing person. The man was over 18 years of age at the time the missing person report was requested by his family. Troopers said the man was in good health and is now in contact with his family. The information was given to the issuing agency and the man was removed as a missing person. He was issued citations for unspecified traffic violations.