TRAIL, Ore. – One man died, and another man is missing and presumed dead, following a boating incident on Lost Creek Lake on Sunday night. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) marine patrol deputies and search and rescue (SAR) personnel are continuing the search for the missing man Monday morning.
On June 9, 2019, at 7:53 p.m., dispatch received a 911 call from a woman at Lost Creek Lake reporting two men had drowned. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office marine patrol deputies, along with personnel from Fire District #4 and Mercy Flights, responded to the lake. Several citizens also assisted on the water and on land.
Deputies located the first victim, Irving Fuentes, 25, unresponsive in the water. A Fire District #4 rescue boat transported him to a waiting Mercy Flights ambulance at the Stewart State Park boat ramp. He was transported to Providence Medford Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. An investigator with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the hospital.
Marine patrol deputies continued the search for the second victim, Juan Carlos Fuentes, 29, but were hampered by darkness. Resources are returning to the lake Monday morning to continue the search and recovery effort.
Deputies say the two men, both of White City, were brothers and were boating with family members. Neither man was wearing a life jacket. The circumstances of the incident remain under investigation.
Case #19-11565
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Update 6/7/19 at 1:30 p.m.
The decedent in this case was identified as Robert Leroy Mitchell, Jr., 47. Mitchell was residing at the property where the incident occurred.
An autopsy was performed on June 7, 2019. The cause of Mitchell’s death was determined to be a single gunshot wound to the upper torso.
Detectives have identified the other person involved in the altercation that reportedly led to Mitchell’s death. The 33-year-old woman has not been arrested and is cooperating with investigators. Detectives say there remains no threat to the public.
The investigation is ongoing with assistance from the Major Assault and Death Investigation Unit (MADIU), a task force made up of detectives from local law enforcement agencies. No further information is available for release at this time.
Original release, 6/6/19:
CENTRAL POINT - Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) detectives are investigating a suspicious death in rural Central Point. On June 6, 2019, at 5:50 a.m., deputies responded to a report of an altercation between two people in the 200-block of Hanley Road. When deputies arrived, they found one person deceased.
An investigator with the Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office responded to the scene. Information about the identity of the deceased individual, as well as the cause and manner of death, is not yet available for release.
Detectives say there is no danger to the public. No further information will be released at this time.
Anyone with information about this incident can call detectives at (541) 774-6800.
Case #19-11260
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JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) will once again host the Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB) Drift Boat Operations Course. The 2019 class begins Monday, June 10, and concludes on Friday, June 14. More than 40 students and instructors from law enforcement agencies around the state will be in attendance.
Students will learn a variety of techniques for river rescue and personal safety/survival, all while learning to navigate through rapids and obstacles. Students will also be briefed on updates to state boating laws and safety resources.
Jackson County, along with Josephine County, has hosted the annual training event for several years. The Rogue River provides an ideal environment for learning to operate non-motorized boats in patrol and rescue scenarios.
The class is sponsored by the OSMB. For more information about boating rules and regulations, visit the OSMB website at www.boatoregon.com.
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Update 6/5/19 at 10:50 a.m. (updated to correct typo on day):
Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) search and rescue (SAR) officials are releasing additional details about the family missing Tuesday night in the forest southeast of Ruch.
According to JCSO Sergeant Shawn Richards, Cameron Cutler and her three children left home on the morning of June 4, 2019, to go hiking in the Tunnel Ridge Trail area. Cutler used Apple Maps to navigate to the destination from Talent. The suggested route included unpaved and unmaintained forest roads in the Anderson Creek area.
After driving several miles, Cutler decided to go back. The vehicle became wedged between a tree and a ditch when she tried to turn around at a spur road (GPS coordinates for the location are as follows: 42.154328, -122.839782). There is no cell phone coverage in the area, so Cutler was unable to call for help. Cutler spent the rest of the day entertaining her children with short walks in the area, but stayed near the vehicle to await rescuers.
Cutler's husband called for help at 6:12 p.m. Deputies and SAR personnel responded to assist. Approximately 150 citizen volunteers arrived in the area to help with the search.
A team of SAR volunteers located the family and their vehicle at approximately 12:55 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5. They transported the Cutlers to the SAR command post in Ruch to reunite with family and friends. Nobody was injured.
Sergeant Richards says Cutler did some things right: she was prepared with clothing, food, and water; she kept everyone in one location instead of wandering off; she worked to keep her children in good spirits.
But, he says there are lessons to be learned from this incident. Sergeant Richards reminds people of the following safety tips for travelers:
- Stick to familiar routes
- Let someone know where you're going and the route you will take
- Don't rely on electronic navigation devices or apps; carry paper maps
- Ensure you carry enough food and water for 48 hours
- Carry warm clothing and blankets in your vehicle
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Update 6/5/19: As of 1:00 am Wednesday, June 5, 2019, all four were located safe. Thank you to everyone who helped with the search and shared information.
Original release:
JACKSONVILLE, Ore. - Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) search and rescue (SAR) personnel are searching for a Medford woman and her three children. The four were reported missing Tuesday evening after not returning home from a planned hike.
On June 4, 2019, at 6:12 p.m., dispatch received a call from the woman's husband. Cameron Cutler, 35, and three of her children - 5-year-old twins (boy and girl), and a 4-year-old boy, reportedly left home that morning to go hiking on the Tunnel Ridge Trail. They had not returned home.
Cutler was reportedly driving a silver Honda Odyssey minivan with Oregon license plate 752 JUY. The vehicle has not yet been located.
SAR teams are checking trailheads in the Applegate and Ruch areas where the family may have been hiking. Dozens of citizens also turned out to assist.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Cameron Cutler and her children is asked to call dispatch at (541) 776-7206. Refer to case #19-11153.
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JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies will be working overtime to help keep our roads safe this graduation season. On June 5, 2019, JCSO deputies begin a 10-day "Summer Kick-Off" impaired driving enforcement event.
“High school graduation is a time for new beginnings,” said JCSO Sheriff Nathan Sickler. “The last thing we want to see is a tragedy during a time when people should be celebrating.”
The overtime patrols are funded through traffic safety grants. Deputies may be found anywhere in the county; however, with the school year drawing to a close, targeted patrols can be expected in areas that typically tend to attract minors using alcohol and drugs, and the routes to popular recreation areas.
While deputies do not condone the use of alcohol and drugs by minors, they offer the following general tips to help prevent impaired driving:
- DRINK OR DRIVE: Once you know where you'll spend your time, decide whether you're drinking or driving - choose only one.
- GETTING AROUND: Before you take your first sip, leave your keys at home or give them to a friend. Get a ride from a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
- HAVE A BACKUP PLAN: Save the number of a taxi company in your phone so you are always ready. In some areas, you can use ride share services such as Uber or Lyft.
- CAMP OUT: Rural areas may not have cell phone service. Take an overnight bag with you so you can spend the night if you’re too intoxicated to drive.
- PASSENGERS, TOO: Drivers aren't the only ones at risk. Only accept a ride from a sober driver.
- HELP A FRIEND: If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, help them to make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
- SAY SOMETHING: If you suspect an impaired driver on the roadway, call police immediately. It is okay to call 911 to report an impaired driver.
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,278 drivers under the age of 21 were involved in fatal crashes in 2017. Of those, 15% had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above 0.08% (Note: In Oregon, the legal threshold for impairment in persons under age 21 is 0.04% BAC).
The impairment percentage increases dramatically for drivers in the 21-24 year age group; 27% of the 5,007 drivers involved in fatal crashes had a BAC over 0.08%. Deputies say this is important to note because parties attended by high school and college students frequently include people in the 21-24 year age group, increasing the likelihood of alcohol use and impaired driving.
For more information and statistics related to impaired driving, follow this link: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812630 .
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GRANTS PASS, Ore. – A recent sexual assault investigation became a HazMat incident in rural Grants Pass late last week. The suspect in the case is currently lodged in the Jackson County jail with bail set at one million dollars. Additional charges are still pending.
On May 29, 2019, a woman reported that she had been sexually and physically assaulted by a man in his home in the 200-block of Savage Creek Road. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) detectives identified the suspect in the case as John Jake Rabe Cabeza II, 27.
On May 30, detectives located Cabeza during a traffic stop on Savage Creek Road. A portion of the roadway was closed for a short time while deputies took Cabeza into custody.
Following Cabeza’s arrest, detectives served a search warrant at his home. Investigators located a clandestine lab and left the premises until it could be cleared by the Hazardous Materials Response Team from Medford Fire-Rescue, and personnel from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Agents collected and disposed of numerous toxic chemicals described by investigators as poisonous, volatile, energetic, and oxidizing.
Investigators located an illegal marijuana growing operation at the residence. Detectives with the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement unit (MADGE) and the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) assisted with the service of the search warrant and subsequent investigation into the drug-related activity. Local members of the US Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) also assisted in the incident.
Cabeza was lodged in the Jackson County jail on numerous charges, including first degree rape, first degree sodomy, second and fourth degree assault, second degree robbery, strangulation, coercion, menacing, unlawful use of a weapon, and tampering with a witness. His bail was set at one million dollars during a court appearance on Friday, May 31.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected to be filed. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Detective Adam Lewis at (541) 774-6800. Refer to case #19-10582.
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MEDFORD, Ore. – Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) search and rescue (SAR) officials, through a partnership with California Oregon Regional Search and Rescue (CORSAR), are hosting a public event aimed at improving safety for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Kim Kelly, a recognized expert on searching for people who wander due to memory disorders, will provide information and tips for caregivers to help keep their loved ones safe.
The seminar will be held on Thursday, June 6, 2019, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Smullin Health Education Center, 2825 E. Barnett Road, Medford. The event is open to the public, but seating is limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. There is no charge to attend.
The target audience for the seminar includes caregivers of people with memory disorders, law enforcement and security personnel, and anyone who may be in a position to help protect someone with a tendency to wander.
“From a SAR perspective, we know that people with dementia who wander can get hurt or die – sometimes before anyone even realizes they are missing,” said JCSO Sergeant Shawn Richards. “Taking steps to understand and prevent these incidents will surely save lives.”
Kelly will discuss how memory-related diseases progress, the dangers of wandering behavior, and how to recognize a wanderer. Kelly will offer guidance on technology and programs that can help locate wanderers, as well as tips for making reports to law enforcement and SAR when someone goes missing.
In addition to the public event, Kelly will spend the week working directly with SAR personnel from around the region. Staff and volunteers from the agencies that make up CORSAR will attend training events designed to improve the effectiveness of searches for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The ten counties involved in CORSAR include Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, and Lake in Oregon, as well as Del Norte, Modoc, and Siskiyou in California.
Speaker biography - Kimberly R. Kelly:
Kim Kelly is the author of Project Far From Home: Understanding the Missing at Risk, Wandering Alzheimer’s Subjects, and a contributor to In Search of the Alzheimer’s Wanderer: A Workbook to Protect Your Loved One and Urban Search: Managing Missing Person Searches in the Urban Environment. Her areas of expertise (and passion) are finding and teaching others in SAR how to find subjects with Alzheimer’s/dementia and also how to find deceased subjects. Kim founded and was the head of Project Far From Home, an educational program designed to teach law enforcement, fire, EMS, and search and rescue (SAR) teams about missing and at-risk Alzheimer’s subjects.
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ASHLAND, Ore. - Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) deputies are increasing enforcement efforts at Emigrant Lake this weekend in response to "Floatopia" - an unsanctioned end-of-year party popular with college students and others. The added presence is an attempt to prevent a repeat of issues that occurred during the event in 2018.
"We had quite a few problems last year during Floatopia weekend," said JCSO Sergeant Julie Denney. "This year, we hope people will make better choices and help keep the park enjoyable for everyone."
In June 2018, deputies responded to multiple complaints associated with the Floatopia weekend event. Issues generally stemmed from alcohol and drug use and included disorderly conduct, impaired driving and boating, motor vehicle crashes, and a lengthy vehicle pursuit that involved several law enforcement agencies (http://jacksoncountyor.org/sheriff/News/driver-arrested-following-lengthy-pursuit-photo-1).
The JCSO presence will include deputies assigned to marine patrol and traffic patrol. Deputies will be able to use grant funds to pay overtime costs for deputies to patrol for impaired drivers.
A special event permit has not been filed for the Floatopia event, therefore anyone entering Emigrant Lake park will need to adhere to general park use rules. Jackson County Parks will have employees monitoring the campground and day use areas. People found to be in violation of park rules will be directed to leave. The Parks department will allow the use of ride-share services in the park to help prevent impaired driving.
Note: Jackson County Ordinance 1064, which includes regulations for the general use of county parks is attached to this release.
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ROGUE RIVER, Ore. – Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies say four people were injured in a crash in the Elderberry Flats area over Memorial Day weekend. Deputies say none of the four occupants of the vehicle - all adults - were wearing seatbelts.
On Saturday, May 25, 2019, at 4:04 p.m., dispatch received a 911 call reporting a crash at the 9.5 mile marker on West Fork Evans Creek Road. The incident occurred in an area with no cellular phone service; witnesses had to drive several miles to call for help.
Deputies say a 1987 Toyota 4-Runner operated by Steven Cagle Wyatt, 33, of Eagle Point, swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle in a curve on the narrow gravel road. The vehicles did not collide, but Cagle Wyatt lost control of his vehicle and struck a large tree.
Personnel from Evans Valley Fire District and Rogue River Fire District responded to the scene. Cagle Wyatt and two female passengers were transported by ambulance to Rogue Regional Medical Center.
A male passenger was transported to Rogue Regional Medical Center by Mercy Flights helicopter with serious injuries. He remained hospitalized Wednesday.
The driver of the second vehicle was able to maintain control following the near-collision. Nobody in that vehicle was injured.
Impairment and reckless driving were ruled out as a factors in the crash. No citations had been issued at the time of this release.
Case #19-10282
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ASHLAND, Ore. – A man fell to his death Wednesday night while hiking on a trail northeast of Ashland. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) search and rescue (SAR) tactical rope rescue team (TRRT) recovered the man’s body at the base of a steep cliff.
On May 22, 2019, at 8:08 p.m., dispatch received a call from a woman reporting a man had fallen from the Lost Falls trail. The woman had to hike to another location to obtain cell phone coverage to call 911.
JCSO deputies responded to the area with personnel from Ashland Fire & Rescue and Mercy Flights. The man was found deceased in the water at the base of a 100-foot cliff.
The victim was identified as Michael Kent Brewster, 63, of Medford. His family has been notified of his death.
JCSO search and rescue (SAR) personnel returned Thursday morning to recover Brewster’s body during daylight hours. An investigator with the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office accompanied SAR during the recovery effort. The cause and manner of death is under investigation.
Case #19-10084
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JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. For many people it is a time for road trips and outdoor recreation. To help keep roadways safe for everyone, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies will be adding patrols to find and stop impaired drivers.
From Saturday, May 25, through Monday, May 27, 2019, deputies will focus their attention on rural roadways, especially those near popular recreation areas. Grant funding allows JCSO to add deputies to the road without taking away from regular calls for service.
Deputies offer the following tips to help prevent impaired driving:
- DRINK OR DRIVE: Once you know where you'll spend your time, decide whether you're drinking or driving - choose only one.
- GETTING AROUND: Before you take your first sip, leave your keys at home or give them to a friend. Get a ride from a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
- HAVE A BACKUP PLAN: Save the number of a taxi company in your phone so you are always ready. In some areas, you can use ride share services such as Uber or Lyft.
- CAMP OUT: Rural areas may not have cell phone service. Take an overnight bag with you so you can spend the night if you’re too intoxicated to drive.
- PASSENGERS, TOO: Drivers aren't the only ones at risk. Only accept a ride from a sober driver.
- HELP A FRIEND: If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, help them to make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
- SAY SOMETHING: If you suspect an impaired driver on the roadway, call police immediately. It is okay to call 911 to report an impaired driver.
For state-specific information and statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding impaired driving and traffic fatalities, follow this link: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812483 .
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The following release is sent on behalf of Jackson County Emergency Management:
Rogue Valley Citizen Alert Test Scheduled For Wednesday, May 22
If you get a phone call, text message or email from Citizen Alert on May 22, don’t be concerned – it’s an annual test of our Emergency Notification System. The test is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
Jackson and Josephine County Emergency Management conduct annual tests of the Citizen Alert Emergency Notification System. Citizen Alert is used to notify residents of important public safety information, such as wildfire evacuations, hazardous materials incidents, or even a fugitive or missing person in your area. Testing the system allows emergency management staff and citizens to practice using the system, as if a real emergency has occurred.
All landline telephones in both Jackson and Josephine Counties will be alerted during this test. Other forms of communication (such as cell phones and email) will be sent to those who have signed up in Citizen Alert. Landline phone numbers (both published and non-published) are automatically provided to the emergency notification system by the phone company; however, many people don’t have a landline phone anymore. Cellular companies do not provide telephone numbers to the system. If you do not have a landline telephone at your home or business, we do not have your information and therefore, we cannot alert you about potentially dangerous situations.
Signing up for Citizen Alert enables you to receive timely notifications wherever you are. Jackson and Josephine County Emergency Management will not share your information with anyone. Your information is only used to send you emergency information, and (if you choose) important community alerts.
To sign up for Citizen Alert, visit Rogue Valley Emergency Management at www.RVEM.org.
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JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies are kicking off two weeks of focused enforcement aimed at saving lives on the road. JCSO joins law enforcement agencies across the nation for the “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign.
Deputies will be adding patrols from May 20 to June 2, 2019, to ensure that drivers and passengers are wearing their seat belts. Grant funding allows JCSO to add the enforcement patrols without reducing the number of deputies available for regular calls for service.
“Oregon has a relatively high usage rate for seat belts,” said Sgt. Julie Denney. “But we still see deaths and injuries that could have been prevented if people had buckled up.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 10,000 unbuckled vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States in 2017. Fifty-one percent of men killed in crashes were not buckled up, compared to 39 percent of women. Many crash fatalities involving unrestrained passengers also involve impairment or distractions.
The bottom line, according to NHTSA: wear your seat belt every time—no matter how uncomfortable it feels or how far you're going. It could save your life.
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