Youth pastor and friend hold intruder at gunpoint - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2015-07-31

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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » NEWS NOW   Fire east of Canyonville grows to 6,000 acres       ...       Pursuit on I-5 ends in officer-involved shooting in Siskiyou County       ...       Medford police arrest second man suspected in boat thefts       ...       Fire east of Canyonville grows to 6,000 acres       ...       Pursuit on I-5 ends in officer-involved shooting in Siskiyou County       ...       Medford police arrest second man suspected in boat thefts       ...           GRANTS PASS Youth pastor and friend hold intruder at gunpoint Comment By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Mar. 26, 2015 at 5:03 PM By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Mar. 26, 2015 at 5:03 PM »  Social News Youth pastor Joe Pedersen knew something wasn't right when he saw a pile of blankets and other stuff in an upstairs closet at Grace Bible Church in northeast Grants Pass Wednesday morning. It got even fishier when the blanket he grabbed was warm. "Then I looked down and saw this guy's leg," Pedersen said Thursday morning. "I grabbed a bat, and my buddy said, 'Don't move, I have a gun.'" Pedersen had called his friend Rick Kelly for backup after noticing evidence of a break-in at the church shortly before 11 a.m. He and Kelly held the man at gunpoint until Josephine County sheriff's deputies arrived. He said Kelly had a concealed weapon permit. Deputies, not Grants Pass police, were summoned because the church, located at 1550 N.E. 10th St., is just outside city limits, near Hillcrest Drive and adjacent to Interstate 5. Kristopher Ulric Sutton, 28, listed as homeless, was arrested and taken to the Josephine County Jail on two warrants from the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety, one from Medford and another for a parole violation. He had failed to appear on prior charges of meth possession, theft and robbery. Charges of burglary could be added. Pedersen said the church has had several break-ins lately. When he arrived Wednesday, locks were broken on storage sheds, and a door leading upstairs was barricaded shut. He called Kelly and the sheriff's office. After an initial search by deputies turned up no one, Pedersen said he and his friend continued to look for damaged or stolen items, until they found the intruder in the closet. Pedersen said the intruder was high on some kind of narcotic and didn't resist. Pedersen then called deputies a second time. R each reporter Jeff Duewel at 541-474-3720 or [email protected] .   By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Mar. 26, 2015 at 5:03 PM » Comment or view comments   Reader Reaction »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501