(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.)
Feb. 20
*A driver at Caves Hwy. and Chapman Creek was warned for driving uninsured and having expired registration. Geoffrey Kehr, 42, was also cited for driving while suspended.
*Johnny Thavisack Kayasith, 46, was arrested on an Oregon State Parole Board warrant and a Grants Pass Police felony warrant at the GP jail. His multiple charges included parole violation for burglary, failure to appear for forgery, and possession of meth. With a name like that, I might sign someone else’s name too.
*Ethan Bowman, 23, was getting a little overzealous on his bike when he was stopped for going 100 mph at Merlin Dr. and Monument Drive.
*Crystal Roach, 43, was cited for DWS and warned for failure to renew in the 3000 block of Robertson Bridge Road.
*A Mustang driver was cited for speeding in the 4000 block of Foothill Boulevard.
*A case of animal neglect was unfounded in the 200 block of NE Savage St., but two dog owners Natalie A. Dolan, 39, and Amber M. Valerio, 32, were advised about unprovoked barking. If unprovoked barking was a crime, my dogs would be in prison for life.
*“Liette” was all that was written regarding a case of trespass in the 200 block of N. Redwood Highway.
Feb. 22
*Violet Bouchard, 52, was given a ticket for DWS on Williams Hwy. at Canaan St. and warned for speeding while having an awesome name.
*“Grizzly” the giant Great Dane dug under the fence in the 1900 block of Fruitdale Dr., and his owners were given a citation for having an aggressive K9 on another property.
*A female was met by deputies in the 900 block of NW E St. after she called stating that she had been attacked by a dog. After calming her down, she refused any medical attention, and Abigail R. Ozkam, 39, the owner of the terrier/dachshund mix, was advised of better fencing options to contain her wiener.
Feb. 23
*At an undisclosed location, a DWS citation was given to a driver who swapped seats with someone else after getting pulled over. They were warned that the next time it happened they could be towed. “Children in the vehicle during rainy conditions” may have influenced decisions.
Feb. 24
*Ayinde Olugbemiga, 54, was detained after going to an ex-girlfriend’s house, being denied entry, forcing his way in, breaking her fingernail, and attempting to choke her. Olugbemiga was charged with menacing, burglary, assault, attempted strangulation, and trespassing at the location in the 7200 block of Monument Drive.
*At Redwood Hwy. and Little Cheyenne Trail, Monica McGrellis, 35, was taken into the sobering center for DUII charges. Her car was impounded, and her dog was taken to the shelter.
Feb. 25
*Driving while suspended got a driver a ticket on S. Old Stage Rd. and Caves Highway.
*At New Hope and Fish Hatchery a speeder was cited.
*Kyle Diffie, 32, was arrested on a GPPD warrant for a “secret indictment” charge, unlawful use of a weapon, strangulation, assault, and menacing in the 300 block of NW F St.
*Jonathon Pool, 46, was taken in by officers at taser point in the 100 block of N. Redwood Hwy. regarding a Medford Police warrant for unlawful distribution of meth.
*An identity thief was booked on N. Kerby Ave. and W. Palmer Street, though we’ll never know who it was.
Feb. 26
*In the 900 block of Caves Hwy., a caller was outside with his children when one of them vomited on the sidewalk. He told the child they should have tried to puke on the grass, and had another person go get a bucket of water to wash the sidewalk. A lady witnessed this and got into the caller’s face, questioned his parenting skills, and he pushed her away. The woman then picked up a large stick and whacked the man in the nose. He then tackled the woman to the ground after she found an even bigger stick and threw it at him. The nosey neighbor wound up in jail for attempted assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and harassment. I don’t think that’s what they meant when they said, “Stick it to the man.”
*100 S. Redwood Hwy. got interesting when a man hit a gas pump and a fire truck multiple times with his vehicle. Alec Varner, 63, was arrested on duii charges.
*Cierra Bryant, 30, was taken into custody on charges of unlawful possession and delivery of meth in the 3100 block of Camp Joy Road.
*A speeding ticket was given at Redwood Hwy. and Hogue Drive.
Feb. 27
*A woman refused to leave a store in the 11000 block of Redwood Hwy., and after chasing employees around, she was arrested. Emalee Cuthbertson, 25, had an open container and whippets in the vehicle when she was taken to the sobering center. Whip it. Whip it good!
*A warrant was served to Faye Fox, 41, at the 400 block of Old Stage Road. Fox was detained on charges of assault and unlawful use of a weapon. Unfortunately, her three adult dogs and five puppies were also detained and taken to the shelter.
*John Gaylen Whisenant, 62, was taken to jail for a parole violation stemming from elder abuse and felon in possession of a weapon charges near the 800 block of Plumtree Lane.
Feb. 28
*Tracy Lupo, 35, was going twice the speed limit when they were pulled over at Monument Dr. and S. F Street. Lupo was cited for dws and driving uninsured.
*A driver on Rockydale Rd. near Sherier had their blinker on to turn into their driveway when they were hit by another driver who was attempting to pass, not realizing they were turning. Nicole Rowland, 18, was cited for having no driver’s license or insurance.
*A woman smashed through a gate and entered a home where she was not allowed, letting the dogs loose in the 9600 block of Takilma Road. When confronted by deputies, she kept saying that she was thirsty and couldn’t trust anyone. She then intentionally rammed her vehicle head-on into a patrol car. Kathryn Jafarzadeh, 43, was held accountable for the damage and arrested on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, attempted assault, attempted assault of a peace officer, criminal mischief, and criminal trespass.
March 1
*Seventeen-year-old Cole Woodridge was cited for speeding and warned about curfew on Merlin Road.
*On the Grants Pass Parkway at NE Terry Ln., Jeri Ibarra, 47, was given a fix-it ticket for driving uninsured and warned for expired tags.
*At Monument Dr. and Three Pines Rd., two drivers’ vehicles were towed. Both Sonny Hurt II, 40, and Michael Penquite, 39, were cited for driving while suspended. It’s Penquite a day, but that’s got to Hurt.