(Editor’s note: Factual information for ‘Tales’ is provided by the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office. All persons listed are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Charges can be amended or dismissed.)
Sept. 30
*Zara Heather Tomas, 45, was arrested with no bail in the 2900 block of Foothill Blvd. on a warrant for failure to appear on meth charges and absconding parole.
*Law enforcement tried to de-escalate an incident between a juvenile and their parents. The child was yelling, broke the thermostat, then locked the parents out of the home. The mother said that she was hit in the arm, leaving a red mark, but was uninjured and did not want to file harassment charges. Nevertheless, the child was taken into custody from the location in the 7800 block of Redwood Highway.
*A man tried to hit a woman with a tire, (unclear if the tire was attached to a car or not) and threatened to shoot and kill her, her husband, and their children in the 3000 block of Jerome Prairie Road. The 80-year-old man lives on the same property as the family, and they can’t leave their home without passing him. He also owns multiple guns, and was cited for harassment and was issued a stalking order.
Oct. 1
*A parole officer requested that Andrew Benito Cruz Martinez, 25, report to OnTrack. He was cited and released at W. Watkins and S. Kerby Ave. stemming from a warrant for failure to appear on criminal mischief charges and giving false information to authorities.
*A driver was cited for driving while suspended on Monument and Glade Drive.
Oct. 2
*Failing to appear on burglary charges led to the arrest of Jeremy James Steggell, 43, in the 3800 block of Lower River Road.
*On Merlin Landfill Road, a motorcycle rider was issued a citation for driving without a license.
*A driver on Upper River Rd. and Lathrop Ln. was ticketed for careless driving and unlawful passing.
Oct. 3
*At the Forks State Park, Beverly Angers, 40, was cited for failing to appear on duii charges. Vance Harris, 36, was arrested on a Coos Bay Police Department felony warrant for parole violation on charges of parole violation for identity theft and a being a felon in possession of a firearm.
*An anonymous email was sent to authorities stating, “I know the whereabouts of Skylar W. Jones, whom I know has a warrant and is currently on the run from probation. He’s been staying in the woods next to the railroad tracks on Hugo Road by the old hitching post. Has a camp set up on a hill about a football field’s length from the tracks.” Jones, 32, was arrested on a parole violation and being a transitional leave violator after yet a 2nd person called police stating that Jones wandered onto her driveway screaming.
*Shaun Sumner, 38, was arrested in the 800 block of Three Pines Road on a restraining order violation. He was caught on camera trying to remove a car from the property.
*A woman who was “dropping off weed” to her ex-husband in the 300 block of Sunny Glen Way was knocked down and bitten on the hip by a dog named Lucius when he and his owner came to visit. She insisted that the dog be put down. Lucius was taken away from his owner, Johnny L. Garatea, 72, was cited and advised of his options to get the dog back. He stated that “He’s all I have.”
*On Williams Hwy and Corbin Dr, Jackson Heller, 21, was cited for speeding.
*Moaning could be heard in the background of a 911 call, and Casey Wilke, 40, was arrested for misuse of 911. Hmm…
Oct. 4
*Mackenzie Clinger, 30, was arrested for a parole violation on charges of kidnapping and two counts of assault. Additional charges include eluding a police officer, which is a felony, and reckless driving at the corner of New Hope Rd. and Marden Drive.
*Three dogs escaped their fenced yard on Walnut Drive and Prairie Lane. Their human, Steven D. Locke, 48, bailed them out of the Josephine County Animal Shelter, and was cited, but advised of his licensing options, which, if the pups were up to date by the court date, fees would be dropped.
*Jennifer Martin, 50, was popped for going 90 MPH in a 60 MPH zone.
Oct. 5
*Alejandro Espinoza, 40, was cited for going 90 MPH in a 65 zone somewhere.
*A caller reported that a man was spitting on her in the 3300 block of Speaker Road. The caller seemed intoxicated, but was trying to keep her husband from engaging with the subject. There were minors and firearms in the residence. Randy Carter Thompson, 59, tried to assault the woman with a T-post, but ultimately was the one with a bloody face. Thompson was arrested on charges of harassment, criminal mischief, trespassing and menacing.
*There was a complaint of dogs on the loose in the 79000 block of Lower River Road. When the owner, Rowena M. Newman, 60, was contacted, she said that the neighbor had called the dogs to come over to their property. She was advised to keep her K9’s on the property no matter what, and was issued a citation. If you’re going to invite someone over, maybe just tell them to go home.
*A driver was cited for speeding in the 3000 block of Foothill Boulevard. Joshua Nathe, 24, told officers that he just bought the car and wanted to “open it up.” Regardless, he still got a ticket.
*A California driver was pulled over on New Hope Rd. at E. Intervale Rd. for going over 50 MPH over the speed limit. They were cited for driving while uninsured.
*Donald Parker, 80, was arrested in the 3000 block of Jerome Prairie Rd. for a stalking order violation and attempted assault on a police officer. Parker lives on the same property as the reporting person and was pounding on their door, threatening to shoot them, and turning the power off. The caller’s 16-year-old son was stuck in a locked truck during the incident. The son advised over the phone that he didn’t see Parker wielding a weapon aside from a cane. Though it’s not a gun, you can take a solid swing at someone with your mobility device and end up in the county jail.
*Only a citation was issued to Eunice F. Ione, 34, after being pulled over for speeding, but swapping seats with the passenger. She was warned for speeding and cited for no driver’s license at Redwood Highway and Hanby Lane.
October 6
*Speeding is a great way to get the attention of the boys in blue! Nicholas Cristopher Matthew Atchley, 20, was cited in the 4000 block of Highland Avenue for going 71 MPH in a 45 MPH zone. Kori Hanson, 59, got a ticket in an unknown location going 28 MPH over the posted limit. At Williams Highway and Shadow Mountain Way, Logan Miller, 26, was zooming right along at a cool 90 MPH in a 55 zone, and was also given a citation.
October 7
*A driver in the 4700 block of Fish Hatchery Rd. was caught driving while suspended, uninsured, and having no registration. A licensed driver was enroute to pick up the vehicle.
*Steven Randel Gilkison, 58, was arrested and booked into the Josephine County Jail on a warrant for failure to appear on trespassing charges in the 1900 block of N.E. F Street.
*Officers serving a warrant surrounded a man who was hiding in the bushes, then “fighting on the ground” in the 600 block of Oxyoke Road. His mother came to unlock the house for deputies, who then found his treehouse which had many stolen items including cellphones, iPads, and a backpack. The subject, Lucas Griffin, 25, may be a little old to have a tree fort, but is old enough to go to jail for failing to appear on a warrant stemming from unlawful use of a motorized vehicle.
*An arrest involving a juvenile person was reported on Old Redwood Highway.
*A caller from the 2200 block of Fruitdale Rd. said there was a female laying in front of their house. Yet another caller reported a blonde man, who appeared to have pushed her, standing over the unconscious woman, though the man fled the scene and was unable to locate. The woman was taken to the sobering center in Grants Pass.
*A man who lives on the same property as the unnamed perpetrator reported that his not so friendly land mate had bashed in his windshield and struck him with a shovel through the broken window. Though the reporting person was uninjured, he drove away to escape the scene. There was an estimated $500 in damages to the vehicle, and the subject with the last name of “Kohl” was arrested by JoCo police.
*A concerned person called authorities to report an unresponsive man laying in the middle of the road up Illinois River Rd. below the 6-mile campground. When located by deputies, the man was uncooperative, wouldn’t wear his seatbelt in the patrol car. He was flagged as hostile and known to carry a baseball bat and razors, (like the guy from The Walking Dead?). He was arrested for aggravated assault and harassment and taken to jail.
October 8
*A motorcycle enthusiast on S. Old Stage Rd. was pulled over for having no license plates, then cited for driving while suspended.
*A warrant from the Douglas County Circuit Court was issued to Christopher Lee Myers, 37, in the block of 100 Speaker Rd. for failure to appear on unlawful use of a motorized vehicle. He was arrested and taken to the Josephine County Jail.
*No bail was offered for Alejandro Soto, 36, on Plumtree Ln. after being taken to the pokey for a parole violation.
*A speeder was issued a ticket on Demaray Dr. and Jerome Prairie Rd.
*Proof of rabies vaccinations were shown to officers after an animal complaint in the 1900 block of Redwood Hwy., though the dogs were unlicensed. Donna M. May, 64, spoke with deputies at length about how the complainant’s dogs were also on her property, and it was an ongoing issue. She was advised to get them licensed and cited to appear.
Until next week, stay out of trouble, mind your manners, and be kind to each other. Thanks for picking up the local newspaper!