BREAKING NEWS: Bruce Day Taken Into Custody Tonight In Atmore Area
October 8, 2009
Wanted murder suspect Bruce Edward Day was taken into custody tonight in the Atmore area.
Day is currently being transported to the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton, Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department Mike Lambert told NorthEscambia.com.
He declined to say where in or around Atmore Day was arrested.
NorthEscambia.com will post more details on this developing story as they become available.
A massive manhunt Monday in Pensacola failed to locate Day, wanted for a 2001 Nokomis murder in which authorities have never found a body.
Escambia County, Ala., authorities obtained a murder warrant Monday for Bruce Edward Day, 42, in connection with the death of Woodrow “Token” Allen, who was reported missing by his mother on December 17, 2001, claiming that she has last seen her son on December 13, 2001. Allen’s body was never found.
Day was reportedly working for a contractor at the Gulf Power Crist Plant. Day was summoned to an office at the plant Tuesday afternoon where U.S. Marshals were waiting to serve the warrant, but Day fled somewhere on the complex that includes 40 buildings on 750 acres.
The University of West Florida campus was later locked down after a man that fit Day’s description was spotted. Authorities also located a pickup truck at UWF that was believed to belong to Day.
A massive manhunt followed, involving U.S. Marshals, Escambia County deputies, helicopters from Escambia and Walton counties, several tracking dog units including one from Century Correctional Institution, and other law enforcement agencies. Authorities from Escambia County, Ala. were also on the scene, including Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith and Chief Deputy Mike Lambert.
The campus lockdown at UWF was lifted about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday evening, and law enforcement agencies slowly scaled back their search as the night became later.
Day is described as a white male, last seen wearing a dark green shirt and jeans. He is 5-foot 8-inches tall and about 160 pounds.
Click here for more details on the 2001 case.
Fire Destroys Frank Ard Road Home
October 8, 2009
An afternoon fire left two people homeless off Quintette Road Thursday.
The fire heavily damaged the home of Buford and Dollie Johnson late Thursday afternoon in the 3100 block of Frank Ard Road, just north of Quintette Road.
Firefighters said the fire may have started when one of the two adult residents was cooking.
The Cantonment, Molino and Ensley Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue; the Pace Fire Department and Escambia County EMS were among those that responded to the call.
There were no injuries in the fire, although one of the Johnsons did complain of chest pains over 30 minutes after firefighters arrived.
Pictured above: Fire heavily damaged this home on Frank Ard Road north of Quintette Road Thursday afternoon. Pictured below: Firefighters work to make sure the fire was extinguished. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Dense Fog Advisory
October 8, 2009
The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a dense fog advisory until 9:00 this morning.
Dense fog reducing visibilities to below one quarter of a mile continues to form and become more widespread across coastal and inland sections of the forecast area this morning. Fog will slowly lift after 8 a.m. Motorists are urged to use slower speeds and use extreme caution in dense fog qand allow for extra time when traveling to morning destinations.
Over Four Months Later: FDLE Investigation Into Atmore Police Shooting Continues
October 8, 2009
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has not yet completed its investigation into the death of an Atmore man shot by Atmore Police near Walnut Hill about four and a half months ago.
Danny Ray Williams, 33, died May 25 from wounds he received when he was shot by Atmore Police early Sunday morning, May 24 in Walnut Hill. Atmore Police said Williams was seen leaving the scene of a shots fired call in Atmore when they gave chase. That chase came to an end on Highway 97 just south of Kansas Road when officers fired on Williams’ car after they say he attempted to run over them.
“It is still an active and ongoing investigation,” Mike Morrison, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday afternoon. “We are getting closer.”
Morrison said he expects the investigation to continue to progress, with the final FDLE report set to be turned over to the State Attorney’s Office for review.
“Every investigation is different, and it’s hard to a put a time frame on one,” he said. “We try to be as thorough as we can.”
Once the FDLE investigation into the officer-involved shooting is complete, the FDLE will not provide any details on the case until the State Attorney’s Office completes their review, Morrison said. “They make the call if it was justified or not, the legal determinations.”
Williams was shot by Atmore police officers following a high speed chase that started in Atmore and ended in Walnut Hill just south of Kansas Road about 1:45 a.m. on May 24.
Atmore Public Safety Directory Glen Carlee said the chase began after a reported shots fired incident near Ashley Street and Jones Street, a location about three miles driving distance from the Florida line. Officers say they spotted the Nissan Altima driven by Williams leaving the area of the shots fired call. That’s when the chase began that eventually crossed the state line into Florida. Carlee said Williams apparently tried to hit an Atmore Police Department cruiser head-on.
Once he stopped and officers approached the car with weapons drawn, Carlee says Williams accelerated toward an officer in an attempt to hit him. That prompted at least two officers to fire at Williams. Florida authorities told NorthEscambia.com at the scene that Williams had been shot at least once in the head.
For a complete gallery of exclusive photos from the scene and inside the car that you will see only on NorthEscambia.com, click here.
For a statement on the shooting released May 25 by the Atmore Police Department, click here.
For NorthEscambia.com’s original story on the shooting, click here.
Pictured above and below: The scene of a shooting involving an Atmore Police Department officer early May 24 in Walnut Hill. Pictured middle: Crime scene investigators from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement work to recover evidence inside the car. Pictured bottom: FDLE investigators returned to the scene four days after the shooting. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Firemen Respond To Reported Rattlesnake In Home
October 8, 2009
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue was called to a snake reported to be in a home Wednesday afternoon. When they arrived, they found and removed a four-foot rattlesnake from the home on Wiggins Lake Road.
Pictured: Firefighter Tracy Benner with the rattlesnake. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Billings Murder Featured On Oprah
October 8, 2009
The world was able to look inside the home of Byrd and Melanie Billings Wednesday for the first time since their murder on the Oprah television show.
Ashley Markham, their daughter, provided information about the nine special needs children that she and her husband Blue now call their own.
Markham said when she called the house on July 9 she could not understand why her 10-year old brother Jacob, who suffers from Down’s Syndrome told her that the Billings were laying on the floor.
“She would talk about it to us. ‘If something were to happen, make sure my babies are taken care of. Make sure they’re all kept together’,” Ashley, 27, told Oprah.
And that is what Ashley and Blue are doing, she said, taking care of the children and even sleeping in the bedroom where Byrd and Melanie died.
“It’s just the way it’s supposed to be,” Blue said.
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan also appeared on the show via a Skype Internet conference.
“We have an excellent case,” Morgan said, adding that all eight accused in the case had entered not guilty pleas.
A portion of Oprah’s segment about the Billings family include an appeal for donations to help the family financially take care of the nine special needs children.
For more on the show, visit www.oprah.com.
Pictured top: Ashley and Blue Markham on Wednesday’s Oprah. Pictured below: Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan records his segment on September 24. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo top courtesy Harpo Productions.
Century Man Gets Nine Months In Jail On Drug Charges
October 8, 2009
A Century man arrested during a Century drug sweep back in May has been sentenced to nine months in the count jail on possession charges.
George Henry Dubose, 33, was arrested May 27 at his 21 Ramar Street home as SWAT teams executed 10 search warrants and made 19 felony drug arrests across Century. He was charged with cocaine possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Dubose was found guilty on both charges and sentenced to 270 days in the Escambia County Jail on each count to run concurrently, with credit for seven days he was incarcerated after his arrest. He was also ordered to pay a public defender lien of $100, and he had his driver’s license revoked for two years.
Unseasonably Warm, Heat Indices 100 to 105 Possible Today And Friday
October 8, 2009
The calendar says October, but it’s going to feel more like July the next couple of days, unless you are lucky enough to see a thunderstorm.
The official North Escambia weather forecast call for highs around near 90 today and Friday. Add in very high humidity, and the heat index — how hot if feels — will approach 105. Not everyone will experience the unusually oppressive October heat; there is a 30 to 40 percent chance of a thunderstorm both days.
By the middle of next week, much more seasonable weather returns, with lows in the 50’s and highs in the 70’s.
Here is your official North Escambia weather forecast:
- Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Friday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Saturday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 68. West wind around 5 mph becoming north. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Sunday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Sunday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Columbus Day: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.
EWMS Cheerleaders Sponsoring Beauty Pageant
October 8, 2009
The Ernest Ward Middle School cheerleaders are sponsoring a Miss North Escambia pageant on Saturday, October 24.
Entry fees, paperwork and photos for the photogenic category must be submitted by October 10.
For an entry form and more details, click here (pdf).
Editor’s note: The EWMS cheerleaders Miss North Escambia pageant is in no way affiliated with NorthEscambia.com.
Fire Department Receives $10,000
October 8, 2009
The Lambeth Volunteer Fire Department, which serves Lambeth (Ala.) community near Flomaton, has received a $10,000 award from Georgia-Pacific.
The Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade is a national program that recognizes the contributions of fire departments in communities with Georgia-Pacific facilities. Launched in 2006, the initiative has contributed approximately $500,000 to rural and small town fire units across the United States.
The program supports firefighters with product and cash donations for programming and purchasing necessary equipment, and safety education materials for presentations in local schools. This year’s 24 Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade winners were chosen from more than 100 applicants in 28 states.
“We appreciate the work that volunteer and small town fire departments do in our facility communities all across this country,” said Jim Hannan, CEO and President, Georgia-Pacific. “Because many of our employees also serve as volunteer firefighters, we understand the demands on these units and their need for equipment and financial support. The Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade program allows us to show our appreciation for the essential services they provide.”
The Lambeth VFD was the only Alabama grant recipient in the program.