Local News

The Oregon State Police arrested a Grants Pass motorist for impaired driving after a weekend traffic stop in the southeast part of the city. According to OSP, troopers pulled over a Mazda Tribute driven by 34-year-old Collin Patrick Quinlan near the corner of SE M and 11th streets on Saturday around 12:40 a.m.. Troopers said they stopped Quinlan for multiple traffic violations and he displayed multiple signs of impairment. They said he performed poorly in field sobriety tests and was taken to the Grants Pass Sobering Center where he provided a breath sample that was more than twice the legal driving limit. Collin Quinlan was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. He was cited to appear in court and released. His vehicle was parked and secured.

 

A Grants Pass motorist was arrested on a local warrant and cited for multiple violations after he crashed his vehicle into the front of a store on Rogue River Highway on Monday. Grants Pass police officers and emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle crash at Market & Deli in the 1,000-block of Highway 99 at 3:10 p.m. yesterday. Police said an investigation determined that 58-year-old Christian James Sargeant was driving a Nissan minivan when his foot slipped under the brake and he coasted into the open front of the market, cracking the glass panes on both doors. Upon contact with officers, Sargeant stated he knew he did not have a license or any insurance because he purchased the vehicle the night before. He was also found to be wanted on a Jackson County misdemeanor warrant for two counts of Failure to Register as a Convicted Sex Offender. Christian Sargeant was cited to appear in court on the warrant as well as the traffic violations. As officers left the scene, he was making payment arrangements with the store manager.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a female transient on a local warrant yesterday after finding her camped out at a south-city car wash. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a trespassing call involving 46-year-old Crystal Mae Lucas at the South Y intersection on Monday around 11:30 a.m.. Police said the property owner called 9-1-1 to report a female subject who had pitched a tent in one of the stalls of the car wash, preventing it from being used by customers. When the caller advised her to leave, she began yelling at them. Officers arrived on scene and contacted Lucas, finding her to be wanted on a Josephine County warrant for Probation Violation related to a previous arrest for Flight to Avoid Prosecution. She was lodged in jail with her bail set at $40,000.

 

Grants Pass Police evicted a total of eight campers from three city parks early Monday. It all started at Morrison Centennial Park, where Bailey Beck was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Scattering Rubbish. Connie Scott was cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Illegal Camping. Shaun Gee and John Hanson were cited for Buffer Zone Violation and Misuse of Park Open Space. All were trespassed for 30 days. At Fruitdale Park, Charles Williams was cited for Misuse of Park Open Space and Scattering Rubbish while Kacie Huntley was cited for Illegal Camping and Misuse of Park Open Space. Both were issued 30-day exclusions from the park. At Kesterson Park, Wade Johnson and Rosalee Word-Johnson were cited for Illegal Camping after they failed to remove their previously posted campsites. Both were trespassed from the park for 30 days. A wheelchair found at the park was returned to Three Rivers Medical Center.

 

One person was injured and another was arrested after a weekend crash in the New Hope area just west of Murphy. On Saturday evening, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, Rural Metro Fire Department and American Medical Response were dispatched to the single-vehicle rollover crash in the 8100-block of New Hope Road. Deputies said an investigation determined that 47-year-old Justin Ryan Gerlitz was driving a BMW sedan when he lost control of the car on a sharp corner about a half-mile west of Lincoln Savage Middle School. They said the car took out a mailbox before landing upside-down in a ditch. Gerlitz and a passenger identified as "Steven Velasquez" were able to extricate themselves from the wreckage and denied any injuries. The third occupant of the overturned car -- identified as "Michele Gerlitz" -- was removed from the vehicle and transported to Three Rivers Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. According to the report, Justin Gerlitz displayed signs of impairment at the scene and performed poorly in field sobriety tests. He was lodged in jail for Felony Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Reckless Driving. The wrecked BMW was hauled to the impound yard.

 

The Oregon State Police apprehended a Washington state fugitive during a weekend traffic stop in Cave Junction. OSP reports troopers pulled over an Isuzu Trooper driven by 54-year-old Chad Roy Dishmon of Grants Pass on Caves Highway near Laurel Road at 7:21 p.m. Friday. Troopers said they stopped Dishmon for multiple traffic violations and discovered that he had switched plates on the vehicle, his driving privileges were suspended, he had no insurance and he had methamphetamine in his pockets. He was cited to appear in court and released, and the Isuzu was impounded. Dishmon's passenger -- 57-year-old Terril James Wallace of Sedro-Woolley, Washington -- provided false information multiple times, had meth in his pockets and was found to be wanted on a Washington state felony warrant for Escape. Wallace was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. He was being held without bail pending extradition to Washington.

 

Grants Pass Police jailed two people for trying to steal hundreds of dollars' worth of merchandise from Walmart last weekend. The Police Department reports officers arrested 31-year-old Derrik Ryan Miller and 35-year-old Breeanna Claudette Peaslee at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane on Saturday afternoon. Police said Miller and Peaslee were detained by Walmart loss prevention after they proceeded past all points of sale with more than $834 of assorted trading cards that were concealed under their groceries. Both were immediately placed into custody. Miller and Peaslee were lodged at the nearby Josephine County Jail for suspicion of 2nd-Degree Theft. Miller was also charged with Contempt of Court-Restraining Order Violation as Peaslee is a protected party in a valid no-contact order out of Jackson County. Both suspects were being held without bail.

 

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on an outstanding warrant and other charges following a weekend skirmish at a north-city restaurant. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to a trespassing call at Denny's on NE Morgan Lane on Sunday at 5:05 a.m.. Police said 26-year-old Caeden Pearce Backanen and Eric Weldon were called in for trespassing and scattering rubbish at the restaurant. They said Weldon gave his name upon request, but Backanen delayed and provided a false name of "Kerby" while generally acting like he had a warrant for his arrest. Turns out he did. Backanen was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Contempt of Court. He attempted to flee on foot, but was subdued with the use of force. Medics were called to the scene, but the suspect refused any attention. Caeden Backanen was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus new charges of Resisting Arrest and Escape. He was being held without bail.

 

The Illinois Valley Fire District battled a large vehicle fire in Kerby late yesterday. On Monday at 5:51 p.m., IVFD crews responded to a reported vehicle fire in an unspecified location in the Kerby area. Initial reports from the 9-1-1 Communications Center stated that large explosions were occurring while dispatchers were on the phone with the caller. Arriving units found a recreational vehicle partially involved with flames and the fire was extinguished with no extension to other structures or property. IVFD officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation.