KLDR - Local News

GP Police Jailed Man for Savagely Beating Up Wife at Colonial Valley Residence

Grants Pass Police jailed a man for a savage incident of domestic violence that occurred last weekend in the Colonial Valley area. The Police Department reports officers arrested 42-year-old Aaron C. Morton at the 7-Eleven store on SW 6th Street on Sunday at 3:42 a.m.. Police said they contacted Morton's wife at Three Rivers Medical Center where she was being treated for injuries sustained in a physical altercation with her husband. They said she sustained heavy bruising over her body along with cuts on the back of her head and substantial pain from the incident at a Donaldson Road home. According to the report, Morton strangled his wife and dragged her through the garage and portions of the yard by her hair. She was then held to the ground and a hammer was used to threaten her, placing her in fear of serious physical injury or death. The victim told police she and Morton had been married for two weeks. Officers assisted the Josephine County Sheriff's Office by locating Morton's vehicle at the downtown convenience store where he was placed into custody. Morton -- who stands 6-feet-6-inches tall and weighs 245 pounds -- was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, 4th-Degree Domestic Assault, Domestic Strangulation and Domestic Menacing. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 7/29/25 6:41AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Collared Man on Statewide Felony Warrants after Resting Site Contact

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on three statewide felony warrants during a weekend patrol check at a downtown resting site. According to the Police Department, officers arrested 29-year-old Nicholas Ford Rasmussen at the NW 5th Street resting site on Sunday at 5:34 p.m.. Police said they initially contacted Rasmussen as a passenger in a vehicle in a Sunday traffic stop, but he identified himself as "Joseph" and was not arrested. During the second contact, Rasmussen was found to be wanted on three felony warrants issued by the Grants Pass Police Department, Medford Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff's Office -- all for failing to appear in court for 1st- or 2nd-Degree Burglary. Rasmussen was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. He was being held in lieu of posting $52,500 bail.

Posted on 7/29/25 6:40AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Man for Probation Violation Due to Being Under the Influence

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for violating his probation after he was found to be under the influence of narcotics near the downtown area early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers contacted 39-year-old Kelcey Edwin Cummings on the sidewalk in the 200-block of SW Bridge Street on Monday at 3:25 a.m.. Police said a citizen requested a welfare check on Cummings after observing him lying on the ground and kicking his feet while hallucinating. The caller said he could hear the man yelling that there was "stuff" on him and he was trying to get it off. He displayed numerous indicators of impairment from a narcotic stimulant. Cummings' corrections officer was contacted and requested that his client be detained. He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Probation Violation and was being held on a no-bail detainer. Jail records show Cummings has a long criminal rap sheet that includes arrests for Disorderly Conduct, Resisting Arrest, Theft, Drugs and Criminal Trespass. He has been arrested for violating his probation five times since the end of April.

Posted on 7/29/25 6:39AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Cited Medford Man for Crashing Pickup through Guardrail in Wonder Area

The Oregon State Police cited a Medford man after he crashed his vehicle through a guardrail on Redwood Highway in the Wonder area. OSP reports troopers and emergency crews responded to a single-vehicle wreck on US Highway 199 near Waters Creek Road on Saturday afternoon. Troopers said evidence at the scene indicated that 63-year-old Halden Robert Holden was driving a Dodge Ram pickup when he failed to negotiate a curve, crashed through a guardrail and into the back yard of a Waters Creek residence. According to OSP, Holden sustained minor injuries in the accident -- but it was unclear if he was transported to the hospital. His wrecked pickup was towed to Grants Pass. The Oregon Department of Transportation was advised of the guard rail damage and the property owner was given a crash report due to damage to their fence. Following the investigation, Holden was cited for Failure to Drive Within Lane.

Posted on 7/29/25 6:19AM by Sam Marsh

Josephine Sheriff's Patrol Vehicles Damaged in Robertson Bridge Road Wreck

Two Josephine County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicles were damaged when they apparently crashed into each other near Merlin early yesterday. The Oregon State Police reports troopers responded to the two-vehicle collision in the 400-block of Robertson Bridge Road on Monday at 1:41 a.m.. OSP did not disclose any details about the crash, but the agency identified the involved vehicles as black Chevrolet Tahoes owned by the Sheriff's Office. The drivers were identified as 27-year-old Ron Gonzalez and 25-year-old Luke Smith. A passenger in one of the vehicles was identified as 30-year-old Tyler Fonbuena. No injuries were reported and the drivers arranged for their own tows.

Posted on 7/29/25 6:18AM by Sam Marsh

Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles Unveils New Option to Report Collisions

Getting into a collision can be stressful and sometimes scary. Fortunately, reporting the collision to the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) just got easier. Drivers involved in a collision can now complete and submit the report to DMV using their new online service. All you need is an internet connection and the ability to log onto "DMV2U.oregon.gov." By law, you must filed a collision report -- formerly called an accident report -- with Oregon DMV within 72 hours of a motor vehicle collision when injury or death resulted from the collision, damage to your vehicle is over $2,500, damage to anyone's property other than a vehicle involved in the collision is over $2,500, or damage to any vehicle is over $2,500 and any vehicle is towed from the scene. ODOT's Crash Analysis & Reporting Unit recorded 46,762 reportable crashes on all roads in Oregon in 2023. Oregon DMV staff annually process about 200,000 Oregon Traffic Collision and Insurance Reports. The collision report on DMV2U can be filled out using smartphones and other devices, and you will immediately receive a confirmation email and reference number.

Posted on 7/29/25 6:17AM by Sam Marsh

Buckle Up! 2025 Josephine County Fair Kicks Off 5-Day Run in GP on Wednesday

Buckle Up! The 2025 Josephine County Fair starts tomorrow at the Fairgrounds in Grants Pass. The five-day summer extravaganza runs Wednesday through Sunday, with free gate admission plus free parking and a shuttle at Rogue Community College. The Caveman Kiwanis is offering parking at the Fairgrounds for $10 per vehicle, with $15 VIP parking upon availability. It's a fundraiser for their local programs. Featured entertainment includes Challenge of Champions Bull-Riding Wednesday, a "live" concert with Ned LeDoux and Rodney Atkins on Thursday, The 4TheKids Livestock Auction on Friday, Super Moto Racing USA on Saturday, and Youth and Amateur Motorcycle Racing on Sunday. There is also free daily entertainment on the Pavilion Stage as well as The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show at Midway Park plus strolling entertainment along the Midway. A new carnival vendor -- Midway of Fun -- will also be part of the Fair. Other reasons to visit the Fair include Exhibit Halls, Kids Alley, Bingo, numerous vendors and -- of course -- all that great Fair food. For more information about the Fair, visit "josephinecountyfairgrounds.com."

Posted on 7/29/25 6:14AM by Sam Marsh

National Weather Service Posts Fire Weather Watch for Parts of SW Oregon/NW California

The National Weather Service has posted a Fire Weather Watch for much of southwest Oregon and northwest California late Wednesday. The Fire Weather Watch calls for the chance of abundant lightning on dry fuels, resulting in the potential for numerous fire starts in the Rogue and Illinois valleys in Oregon as well as the Shasta Valley and Siskiyou County in California. Scattered to widespread thunderstorms with widespread lightning are possible. The storms are likely to be wet, but lightning strikes outside of precipitation cores are possible with cause for concern for new fire starts. Wind gusts of 35 to 50 miles per hour could travel outward up to 25 miles from thunderstorm cores. Residents in the affected areas are urged to follow all fire restrictions. Avoid any activities that could cause sparks. A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are possible during the valid watch time. These conditions could promote the rapid spread of fire which could become property- and/or life-threatening. Check for forecast updates and a possible upgrade of the Watch to a Red Flag Warning.

Posted on 7/29/25 6:12AM by Sam Marsh

ODOT Hosting Open House on Highway 62-Highway 234 Roundabout Project in EP

The Oregon Department of Transportation is hosting an open house in Eagle Point on Wednesday evening regarding the Highway 62 and Highway 234 Roundabout. The event will be held tomorrow from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Eagle Point City Hall, 17 South Buchanan Avenue. ODOT officials said the meeting is an opportunity for the community to learn more about the upcoming project that is scheduled to kick off construction in 2027. The agency will have members of the project team as well as subject matter experts available to speak with about the project. The project will provide a single lane roundabout at the intersection of Highways 62 and 234 to help reduce the number of crashes. Various options are available to improve safety at this intersection ranging from installation of a traffic signal to installation of a roundabout. This intersection previously has been upgraded with flashing beacons and turn lanes. However, additional improvements are required to further reduce the crash rate.

Posted on 7/29/25 6:10AM by Sam Marsh

OSP Cited Medford Man for Crashing Pickup through Guardrail in Wonder Area

The Oregon State Police cited a Medford man after he crashed his vehicle through a guardrail on Redwood Highway in the Wonder area. OSP reports troopers and emergency crews responded to a single-vehicle wreck on US Highway 199 near Waters Creek Road on Saturday at 12:15 p.m.. Troopers said evidence at the scene indicated that 63-year-old Halden Robert Holden was driving a Dodge Ram pickup when he failed to negotiate a curve, crashed through a guardrail and into the back yard of a Waters Creek residence. According to OSP, Holden sustained minor injuries in the accident -- but it was unclear if he was transported to the hospital. His wrecked pickup was towed to Grants Pass. The Oregon Department of Transportation was advised of the guard rail damage and the property owner was given a crash report due to damage to their fence. Following the investigation, Holden was cited for Failure to Drive Within Lane.

Posted on 7/28/25 10:55AM by Sam Marsh

Josephine Sheriff's Patrol Vehicles Damaged in Robertson Bridge Road Wreck

Two Josephine County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicles were damaged when they apparently crashed into each other near Merlin early today. The Oregon State Police reports troopers responded to the two-vehicle collision in the 400-block of Robertson Bridge Road at 1:41 this morning. OSP did not disclose any details about the crash, but the agency identified the involved vehicles as black Chevrolet Tahoes owned by the Sheriff's Office. The drivers were identified as 27-year-old Ron Gonzalez and 25-year-old Luke Smith. A passenger in one of the vehicles was identified as 30-year-old Tyler Fonbuena. No injuries were reported and the drivers arranged for their own tows.

Posted on 7/28/25 10:53AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Man for Drug Possession & More after Business Complaint

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for drug possession and another crime after responding to a weekend complaint made by a local business owner. The Police Department reports officers contacted 47-year-old Steven Adam Hughes in the 800-block of NE 7th Street on Saturday around 7:30 p.m.. Police said Hughes was called in for shooting up narcotics while standing next to a tree across the street from a pet grooming business. They said he appeared to be under the influence when they detained him, finding him to be in possession of just over one gram of methamphetamine and some non-prescribed methadone. According to the report, a large pile of human feces was located across the parking lot from Hughes. He told officers if they were his feces, they would be on him and they appeared to be smeared on the back of his shoes. Hughes was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession and Offensive Littering.

Posted on 7/28/25 10:52AM by Sam Marsh