Suspicious Pursuit Arrest

Grants Pass Dept. of Public Safety


On 5/3/20 at approximately 0055 hours, Grants Pass Department of Public Safety Officers were alerted to a suspect caught on video checking door handles of vehicles near the intersection of NE A St and NE Elida.  Officers responded to the area and began looking for the suspect.  A gold Toyota Highlander was found leaving the area and the driver was recognized as the suspect from the video.  

Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, which fled at a high rate of speed into the parking lot of Elmer's Restaurant.  Officers moved to contain the vehicle which drove around to the north side of the Holiday Inn Express.  The suspect then ran from the moving vehicle, sending it towards parked cars in the Holiday Inn parking lot.  A GPDPS Officer used his patrol car to block the moving vehicle, preventing damage to the citizen cars in the parking lot, but causing extensive damage to the passenger side of the patrol vehicle.  

The Toyota Highlander was determined to be stolen out of Douglas County with stolen license plates on the vehicle.  The suspect was last observed crossing the Grants Pass Parkway and officers established a perimeter and called a K-9 unit to the scene to assist.  With the aid of a GPDPS Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and K-9 Maro, a search was conducted in the area of Foothill Blvd and Lawless Lane.  The suspect was located by K-9 Maro hiding in a marsh over an embankment. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and identified as 32 year old Jacob Leroy Ellis.

Ellis was found to be in possession of several hundred dollars in fake currency.  He was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the following charges: 

Unauthorized Entry into a Motor Vehicle (Attempted)

Douglas County Warrant- Attempt to Commit Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Attempt to Elude Police- Felony

Attempt to Elude Police- Misdemeanor

Recklessly Endangering Another

Reckless Driving

Criminal Mischief 2

Driving While Suspended- Misdemeanor

Anyone with information regarding the case or video of the suspect, is asked to contact the Grants 

Pass Department of Public Safety at (541)450-6260 regarding case 20-19839

Jacob Ellis Booking Photo

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