Officers from the Grants Pass Police Department responded to reports from a citizen stating that her vehicle had been stolen at gun point just before 7:30pm Sunday evening.
Officers had been in the area of the reported car theft, looking for a separate vehicle with possible stolen plates. Officers responded quickly to the residence and located the vehicle with the stolen plates, which had been abandoned. The suspect had forcefully taken another vehicle and fled the area in a Ford Escape.
While officers were being provided information on the suspect and the stolen vehicle, the vehicle was located fleeing the area at a high rate of speed. Due to the reckless disregard for the safety of the public by the suspect, officers terminated the pursuit and began setting up a perimeter to locate the vehicle. Additional reports were received about the vehicle driving at a high rate of speed, possibly heading toward Williams Highway.
Shortly after officers were attempting to locate the suspect off of Williams Highway, a caller reported that another vehicle was stolen in the area and that the suspect had discharged a round from a firearm while stealing the vehicle.
Officers located the stolen Ford Escape abandoned and another vehicle, a PT Cruiser, had been stolen. Prior to officers arriving on scene, there was yet another report of a vehicle being stolen in the area of Skyway. It was later determined the shots were fired while the second vehicle was being stolen by the suspect.
With the report of shots being fired and multiple vehicles being car jacked, deputies with the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and Troopers from the Oregon State Police responded to assist with the investigation. As officers arrived on scene, they learned the suspect had crashed the stolen PT Cruiser then forcibly stole a GMC Canyon truck. Information about the truck was relayed to partner agencies in Jackson County. A short time later, there was a report of a vehicle that crashed near the Valley of the Rogue State Park on Interstate 5. The vehicle matched the description of the stolen GMC Canyon.
Deputies and Troopers from Jackson County responded and learned the suspect who had crashed the GMC had taken yet another vehicle, a yellow Dodge Ram, by force. The truck was located by officers responding and a pursuit followed. The suspect attempted to elude the officers and eventually stopped at a residence and was taken into custody by the Oregon State Police and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
The suspect was turned over to detectives with the Grants Pass Police Department and was later lodged in the Josephine County jail. The investigation is ongoing and due to the multiple crime scene and victims, no further information is available at this time. One person was transported for minor injuries as a result of one of the vehicle thefts. All vehicles have been recovered and the original vehicle with the stolen plates has been impounded for further investigation.
The suspect is charged on multiple crimes in multiple counties, and further charges will likely follow.
