Residents Report ‘Explosion’ Sound Across Area
January 15, 2012
Residents across the area reported what sounded like an explosion Saturday evening, and, so far, there’s no official explanation as to what caused the noise.
NorthEscambia.com readers reported hearing the rumble in Bratt, Davisville, Walnut Hill, Enon, Atmore, Nokomis, Ala., and Molino between 5:30-5:45 p.m. Saturday. Most reported a loud, rumbling sound, and a few people reported feeling a vibration or shaking.
Emergency dispatchers in Escambia County, Ala., received a few 911 calls reporting possible explosions, including specific reports of possible explosions on McElhaney Road in Bratt and Johnson Road in Nokomis, Ala.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue was dispatched to the McElhaney Road area, while the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to Johnson Road. Neither department reported finding anything related to the noise.
Escambia County, Fla., 911 dispatchers did not receive any calls reporting the noise.
So far, there has been no word as to the source of the noise. Due to the holiday weekend spokespersons for area military bases were not available to determine if the noise was caused by a sonic boom.
Nice Monday, Rain By Tuesday
January 15, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 30s. Southeast winds around 5 mph.
- M.L.King Day: Mostly cloudy in the morning then clearing. Highs in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph becoming south 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.
- Monday Night: Warmer. Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers after midnight. Near steady temperature in the mid 50s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of showers 20 percent.
- Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers in the morning…then chance of rain showers and slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
- Tuesday Night: Colder…cloudy. Rain showers likely and chance of thunderstorms in the evening…then chance of rain showers and slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the lower 40s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph becoming west 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.
- Wednesday: Cooler. Mostly cloudy in the morning then clearing. Highs around 60.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. North wind around 5 mph becoming east.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 68.
Escambia Man With Federal, State Warrants Arrested After Taxi Robbery
January 15, 2012
An Escambia County man wanted on outstanding federal and state warrants was arrested Saturday for the armed robbery of a cab driver.
Tyree Desmond Lindsey, 20, is alleged to have robbed a cab driver at gunpoint at Dianne and Lucy streets in Pensacola about 11:35 a.m. A K-9 tracked Lindsey to a house on Pinestead where deputies found him attempting to climb from a bedroom window as officers surrounded the home.
It was later determined that Lindsey, along with 20 year old Phillip Earl Crenshaw of Pensacola, had entered the home, ordering the occupants to “sit on the couch and be quiet” as the police were after them. Crenshaw offered a false name to deputies and was arrested and charged with obstructing justice.
Lindsey was placed under arrest for outstanding federal warrants issued during Operation “Anything for a Buck” in 2011. He will face additional state charges upon completion of the federal prosecution, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Second Saturday Night In Row: Cantonment Convenience Store Robbery Reported
January 15, 2012
For the second Saturday night in a row, a convenience store robbery was reported in Cantonment.
A robbery was reported about 10:07 Saturday night at the Bindu Food Mart in the 1200 block of Muscogee Road, just east of Jacks Branch Road. Deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office were on scene within two minutes of the robbery report.
The clerk reported that he had locked the front door of the business. He said he saw a man waving a gun and attempting to enter the store.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit was used in the search for a suspect.
On Saturday night January 7, someone held up the CMP Food Mart at the corner of North Highway 29 and Beck’s Lake Road.
A black male dressed in all black entered the store about 10:35 p.m., jumped over the counter and tried to get into the register. When he was unable to open the register, he beat the clerk with the gun to force him to open the cash drawer. The bandit then fled on foot in an unknown direction. The clerk was transported by Escambia County EMS to a Pensacola hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Anyone with information on either robbery is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured: The CMP Food Mart in Cantonment on January 7. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man With Long Criminal History Gets Prison Time
January 15, 2012
An Escambia County man with an extensive criminal history was sentenced to prison Friday.
Maurice Montgomery was sentenced by Judge Jan Shackelford to 10 years in state prison with a 5 year minimum. He was also designated as a habitual felony offender as well as a prison releasee reoffender. On December 8, 2011, Montgomery was found guilty by an Escambia County Jury of two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of assault.
On August 28, 2011, Montgomery threatened two victims, chased them in his vehicle and attempted to run them off the road, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
Montgomery has a criminal record in Florida going back to the 1980’s, with 19 prior felony convictions and over 25 misdemeanor convictions. Since 2000,Montgomery has been in and out of prison four times, with his most recent release in May 2011. Prior to his convictions in Florida, Montgomery also served prison time in New York.
The investigation and arrest were conducted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Burkett Joins Century Accounting Firm
January 15, 2012
Jessica Burkett of Byrneville has joined staff of the Century accounting firm of Ann Brooks, CPA, PA.
Burkett received a B.S.B.A. in professional accountancy with a minor in finance from the University of West Florida in December 2004 and is licensed in Florida as a certified public accountant. She has seven years experience as an accountant in public and private accounting and has extensive experience in payroll accounting as well as individual, corporate, and trust tax.
Jessica Burkett is married to Anthony Burkett and has one daughter, Halee. She is the daughter of Don and Starr Word of McDavid.
Brush Fire Destroys Hay Worth Thousands (With Photo Gallery)
January 14, 2012
Firefighters from multiple departments battled a brush fire Saturday afternoon near Walnut Hill that destroyed thousands of dollars worth of hay.
Only a few acres were consumed by the fire, but about 125 large round bales of hay worth at least $6,000 burned. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
The fire was off Highway 164 east of Highway 97. No injuries were reported.
The Walnut Hill, McDavid, Century and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Florida Division of Forestry responded to the blaze. It took about two hours to bring the fire under control.
For a photo gallery from the scene, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Injured In Highway 97 Crash
January 14, 2012
A Cantonment man was injured in a single vehicle rollover accident Saturday morning south of Walnut Hill.
The accident happened about 10 a.m. on Highway 97 just north of Tungoil Road. The Florida Highway Patrol said 56-year old Jerome Allen of Cantonment lost control in a curve while heading north on Highway 97. His 1999 Honda left the roadway and rolled over multiple times before coming to rest upright in a ditch.
Allen was transported to a Pensacola hospital by ambulance with minor injuries
Charges against Allen are pending.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Spends Night In Broken Down Truck, Treated For Cold Exposure
January 14, 2012
One person was transported to the hospital Saturday morning after spending a freezing night in the their broken down truck alongside Highway 97 in Davisville.
Atmore Ambulance transported the 46-year old male to Atmore Community Hospital about 7:30 Saturday morning. The person had reportedly spent the night in their truck near Highway 97 and Pelt Road and was suffering from cold exposure. The injuries were not considered severe.
According to a nearby weather station in Walnut Hill, the temperature dipped to 24 degrees early Saturday morning.
Pictured: A 46-year old man was transported to the hospital after spending a freezing night in this broken down truck along Highway 97 in Davisville. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
No Serious Injuries In Two Highway 29 Wrecks
January 14, 2012
There were no injuries reported in a wreck Saturday morning in Molino or in an unrelated accident in Bogia.
In the first accident, two vehicles reportedly collided on Highway 29 just south of Molino Road about 7:30 a.m. There were no injuries among the three people involved in the accident. The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded to the crash.
The second accident happened abut 7:45 a.m. on Highway 29 near Bogia Road. There were no injuries in the crash.
Both accidents are under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not been released on either accident.