Very early Wednesday morning just after midnight, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported assault and gunshots being fired in the 700 block of Caves Highway in Cave Junction.
First responding Deputies arrived to the scene with the suspect being detained by neighbors at gunpoint.
It was determined by Deputies upon subsequent investigation that the suspect had forced entry into a residence and after gaining entry, the suspect assaulted a female resident in front of her child, stole property from the residence and attempted to flee in a pickup.
While attempting to flee in the pickup, the suspect drove through a yard, hit a parked car, struck a children’s play structure and crashed into another residence on the property, causing damage.
As the suspect continued to attempt flee the scene, a neighbor confronted the suspect with a firearm and shot out the tires of the suspect’s vehicle to disable it. A group of neighbors removed the suspect from the pickup and held him at gunpoint until Deputies arrived.
The suspect, Justin Thurman, who is known to the assault victim, was arrested and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on multiple charges including Burglary I, Attempted Assault IV, Attempted Assault III, Criminal Mischief I, Criminal Mischief II, Criminal Mischief III, DUII, Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving and the case has been referred to the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office.
