Local News

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for impaired driving last night after a family member witnessed him back into a neighbor's vehicle and called it in.

According to the Police Department, officers responded to the reported incident on NW Lynnwood Place on Wednesday around 9:30 p.m..

Police said a family member reported that her 40-year-old father had been drinking and was "really drunk" when he backed his Ford F-250 pickup into his neighbor's Ford F-150 pickup, causing minor damage. The suspect went into his house to sleep after admitting to his neighbor that he crashed into the neighbor's truck.

Upon contact with the suspect, officers said he showed significant indicators of impairment -- but he told them he had no alcohol for several hours. He refused to participate in field sobriety tests and became hostile while being placed into custody, so officers obtained a search warrant and took him to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented strong impairment.

The suspect was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants. He was also cited to appear in court for a Breath Test Refusal.