Miner jailed for shooting four-wheeler during confrontation

A Josephine County miner is in jail on an assault charge and a Gold Hill man is recovering from a shotgun blast after a confrontation on Forest Service land in the Tennessee Mountain area.

Ronald Eugene Spears, 61, who lives on a mining claim about two miles west of Highway 199 near Kerby, is lodged at the Josephine County Jail on a first-degree assault charge.

The Josephine County Sheriff's Department said that Spears shot Gregory Glen Graybill, 52, of the 5300 block of Sardine Creek Road, Gold Hill. Graybill was part of a group of six trucks of people four-wheeling Sunday afternoon on forest roads in the area.

Spears confronted the drivers and shot Graybill in the arm with a 12-gauge shotgun, investigators said.

One of the other drivers in the group Graybill was four-wheeling with drove him to the fire station in Selma. The sheriff's department was summoned at about 12: 40 p.m. Sunday. Graybill was flown to Rogue Valley Medical Center, where he is reportedly recovering from a broken arm and other injuries from the shot, authorities said.

Detectives have interviewed witnesses of the altercation and the investigation is continuing. Anyone with information can call the sheriff's department's tip line at 474-5160 or the major crime unit at 474-5153.

— Anita Burke