Pace Man Drives Off Escambia County Cliff

August 2, 2011

A Pace resident was injured early this morning when his car left the road and went over a cliff off Scenic Highway.

James Weatherwax, 25, of Old Guerney Road, was southbound on Scenic Highway around 1 a.m. when his car left the road around Bluff Drive, said Pensacola Police Officer Maria Landy.

Weatherwax told police he swerved to avoid hitting a deer before the 2001 Nissan he was driving went approximately 100 feet over the cliff and then another 150 feet before it stopped against a tree.

After the crash, Weatherwax is believed to have walked about a mile north to steps across from Bayview Cemetery, climbed the steps and then flagged down a passing motorist for help. Pensacola Police received a 911 call to respond to the area around 5:48 a.m.

Landy said Weatherwax was wearing a seatbelt; there were no indications of alcohol. He received extensive facial injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

No charges have been filed.

Comments

16 Responses to “Pace Man Drives Off Escambia County Cliff”

  1. Sandra on August 3rd, 2011 7:28 pm

    I’ve worked in that area as a career firefighter for over 20 years. There is no way a deer was in the area of Scenic and Bluffs drive. No way!!

  2. William on August 3rd, 2011 4:28 pm

    >>>I want an auto, the same make and model as Mr Weatherwax’s.

    It was a 2001 Nissan. :)

  3. 429SCJ on August 3rd, 2011 4:27 pm

    I want an auto, the same make and model as Mr Weatherwax’s.

  4. David Huie Green on August 3rd, 2011 12:29 pm

    Just a suggestion: next time, kill the deer, don’t run off the cliff

  5. scott on August 3rd, 2011 10:00 am

    Just how many deer are there in that neighborhood? Better call Santa.

  6. Larry on August 3rd, 2011 9:12 am

    Is it really anyone else business what he was doing or the time line… the man went off a cliff …….let me sling you off a cliff and then you will know what took him so long….suspicious people….always wanting the drama…not everyone who is out after midnight is up to no good…and by the way I have seen deer in that area at night before.

  7. WOW! on August 3rd, 2011 9:07 am

    Did anyone ever think..maybe he was unconscious for a brief time after the accident?! Sounds like his face had extensive damage. GEEZ, cut the man some slack. If he was drunk, everyone would be slamming him for that-but since he was reportably sober, you still chose to try and deface the man. He wasn’t drunk, he wasn’t out molesting children, killing anyone or robbing a store..so get over yourself! Thank God this man survived. He sounds like a great upstanding citizen and I, for one, applaud him.
    Mr. Weatherwax, do not take offense to some of these idiotic responses..some people are just ignorant and WAY too judgemental on everyone because they are so use to this wicked world we live in. Some will ALWAYS jump to conclusions. I pray you recover quickly. God was watching over you for a reason-use the time he gave you to do something good in the world. He spared you for a reason……..

  8. rediculous on August 2nd, 2011 8:11 pm

    Yall are rediculous. Anyone thought for one second that he may been driving home or to work? There was no alcohol involved so there’s a chance that he had a reason for being out. I’ve been awake later than that and had a craving and drove to the gas station. It’s no ones business WHY he was out. I’m just glad he is ok. I hope nothing like this happens to those assuming he was up to no good. You might find yourself in his shoes one day. Let’s hope it doesn’t take that long for the light bulb to go off over your head. Empathize folks. What comes around goes around…..

  9. Baebae on August 2nd, 2011 4:09 pm

    TO PAUL….ever been deer hunting ?….the reason you dont see them is because you are in the bed at 100 AM…the deer are not.!! ..COYOTES ?….more of them than deer i bet….they must be eating well around there…there is an abundance of wildlife out there. I was on a hunting club one year in Selma Alabama….7 of us hunted all week long one season and none of us saw the first deer…sometimes its like that…does not mean they are not there…jus means you dont see them.
    By the way…if the driver was in the bed at 100 AM like he should have been…then he would not have had the wreck….funny he walked to the cemetary…dont he know they would give him a ride free if he had waited a while.
    Guess he may have picked out a plot while he was there ????…Baebaes thoughts thats all !!

  10. Football Mom on August 2nd, 2011 1:42 pm

    Goodness Paul, cut the poor guy some slack. Does there ALWAYS have to be ANOTHER side he’s not telling? Maybe, just maybe……he could be telling the ummmmmmmm TRUTH????? He could be a little off with his time, factor in the time it took him to drive off the cliff thru brush and trees, the time it took for him to get his marbles back together (IDK if you have ever been in a wreck, but I have and not even driving off a cliff and I was disorented – sp?), time possible to find a way out (doors possibly stuck), time to walk thru the brush and whatever else (I have never been down there so IDK), time to climb up the steps and time to find a car that would actually stop…………ALL THE WHILE having EXTENSIVE facial injuries………I think he could possibly be telling the truth……Just sayin

  11. Jane on August 2nd, 2011 1:01 pm

    Let’s see, you are hurt, it is dark, you don’t know where the steps are or how to get up the hill….maybe even a concusion…I can see how it might take awhile to reach the top! He is very lucky he wasn’t killed!

  12. paul on August 2nd, 2011 11:53 am

    I ride on Scenic often, day and night, that spot where this happened is too populated for deer, there are always people in that little stretch of woods, why do you think the police always do their sting operations there? About 5 hours? A snail could have climbed it in that time.

  13. AL on August 2nd, 2011 11:13 am

    “After the crash, Weatherwax is believed to have walked about a mile north to steps across from Bayview Cemetery, climbed the steps and then flagged down a passing motorist for help”

    around 1am could be 130. Maybe he is in physical condition like me and it would take easily an hour or more to walk a mile along the bayshore, and probably another hour if they are talking about the steps at the bluff. Can’t think of a way to play devil’s advocate for the other 2 hours, unless nobody stopped for him.

  14. renee' on August 2nd, 2011 11:12 am

    @Paul,
    guess you didnt read where he went over the cliff 100feet then another 150 feet. what did you think he could just jump up the cliff. plus he had injuries. I pray this man is ok. I can only imagine how scared he was

  15. me on August 2nd, 2011 11:02 am

    Yes there are deer every where you should. Get out more

  16. paul on August 2nd, 2011 10:56 am

    A deer? I’ve lived in this area for over 40 years and Never saw a deer, plenty of coyotes but no deer. The 1AM to 5;48 AM timeline is kinda suspect to me too.