Woman Charged With Embezzling Thousands From Doctor
September 15, 2012
A Beulah woman was arrested Friday afternoon on charges that she embezzled tens of thousands of dollars from a local physician.
Ellen Renee Garrett, 55, of 8470 Beulah Road, was charged with one count of grand theft.
Pensacola Police Department detective Cliff Lyster said Garrett was an employee of Gulf Coast Podiatry on North Nine Avenue since 2002 had been embezzling funds from patient cash payments for services they received from Dr. Joseph Kiefer.
Lyster said it was Garrett’s responsibility to post payments to patient accounts. However, an investigation determined she didn’t post payments as she should, nor did she deposit cash into business accounts. Garrett would cover up her activity by fraudulently posting a transaction to reduce balance on patient accounts by the amount of money a patient had paid, Lyster said.
Garrett embezzled $43,739.34 during the past four years, police said. The thefts were discovered during a recent audit of business accounts. The investigation began in June after the Pensacola Police Department was notified about the thefts.
Two Men Cleared In March Murder
September 15, 2012
Charges have been dropped against one man and another his been found not guilty of a March 20 murder off Highway 29.
Frederick Ortiz was shot in the chest and killed during the course of an alleged drug transaction on Hayworth Avenue in the Ensley area.
Bryan Hines, was found not guilty of third degree murder in the Ortiz’s death earlier this week. He was convicted of marijuana possession and is awaiting sentencing.
And Friday, the State Attorney’s Office announced that there is insufficient evidence to proceed in the trial of Rico Roberson. Roberson was charged with first degree murder for the death.
Sweet Revenge: Northview Chiefs Beat The Chipley Tigers
September 15, 2012
Call it sweet revenge.
After a regular season and a state semifinal loss to the Chipley Tigers last season, the Northview Chiefs stormed back in the second half Friday night to beat the Chipley Tigers 50-29.
“It was awesome,” said Northview head coach Sid Wheatley said. “It was great to come back and get a good win tonight.”
After trailing Chipley 14-6 at the half, Northview powered back in the fourth to recover from a 29-29 tie for the win.
For a game action photo gallery, click here.
For band, dance team, majorette, color guard, cheerleader and NJROTC photos, click here.
“It’s great to see that when we are down, this team has the character to know that they can come back and fight through some adversity and get the win,” Wheatley said. But Wheatley said his Chiefs –ranked No. 4 in the state in Class 1A — still need some improvement.
“We need to limit some of the big plays defensively; I’m still not satisfied giving up 29 points. We need to tighten up defensively and not let it be a second half deal like it was tonight,” he said. “I thought overall it was a great character win for the this football team.”
For many of the players, students and fans, the win meant a little more than just beating Chipley. The initials KWJ were written in the eye black on the players in a game dedicated to the memory of Kenneth Wade Jernigan, a Northview student killed last school year in a texting and driving accident. Jernigan would have turned 17 on Friday.
Chipley took and early 7-0 lead on a one-yard run with 5:25 in the first and expanded their advantage to 14-0 with 9:39 in the second.
The Chiefs did not get the on the scoreboard until the second on a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Daulton Tullis to LaMikal Kyles. A missed kick, and the Chiefs were still behind at 14-6. Northview set up a 30-yard field goal at the halftime buzzer, but Kevin Vaughan was outside the uprights. Vaughan is also the Chiefs starting quarterback, but he’s still out at QB with a broken wrist.
Neino Robinson set the Chiefs on fire, opening the third quarter with a 79-yard touchdown run. With a good two point conversion from Kyles, the Chiefs and the Tigers were even at 14-14.
The Tigers roared again with 5:07 in the third to take a 22-14 advantage. About a minute later, Kyles made the end zone from four yards out, and the Chiefs made the two point conversion on a Tullis to Daniel toss, 22-22.
Still locked at 22-22 headed into the fourth, Northview took the lead 29-22 with 9-yard run by Brannon Freeman and a kick through the uprights from Vaughan. But Chipley answered with a 65-yard TD run and a kick, 29-29 with 10:2 to go.
The remainder of the fourth was the Northview Chiefs Show, with the Chiefs defensive stopping Chipley dead behind the line of scrimmage multiple times and a forward marching offense.
Robinson returned an interception 60-yards and a good Vaughan kick, 36-29 Chiefs.
The Chiefs wrapped up their win with a 2-yard run from Roderick Woods and a good Vaughan kick, 50-29.
The Northview Chiefs will host South Walton next Friday night at 7:00 in Bratt.
For a game action photo gallery, click here.
For band, dance team, majorette, color guard, cheerleader and NJROTC photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Prep Football Finals
September 15, 2012
Here are final scores from around the North Escambia area Friday tonight:
- Northview 50, Chipley 29 [Read more...]
- Sneads 19, Jay 14 [Read more...]
- West Florida 56, Tate 7 [Read more...]
- Washington 19, Choctaw 17
- Niceville 17, Pine Forest 14
- Catholic 17, PHS 15
- Milton 24, Fort Walton 17
- Flomaton 42, Choctaw County 13 [Read more...]
- ECHS (Atmore) 20, Wilcox Central 0
- Escambia Academy 47, Sparta 7
- T.R. Miller 62, Excel 6
- W.S. Neal 58, Cottage Hill 0
West Florida Beats Tate
September 15, 2012
The West Florida Jaguars beat the Tate Aggies 56-7 Friday night in Cantonment.
The Aggies were unable to cross midfield until the second quarter against a strong West Florida defense, and West Florida held a 42-0 lead at the half thanks to a strong offense. WFHS quarterback Joey Baker had just over 300 yards and touchdown passes of 15, 46 and 26 yards plus a 1-yard keeper.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: West Florida beat the Tate Aggies Friday night in Cantonment. Submitted photos by Hope Bonucchi for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flomaton ‘Canes Blow Past Choctaw County 42-13
September 15, 2012
The Flomaton Hurricanes powered to a 42-13 Class 2A, Region 1 win Friday night over Choctaw County.
Flomaton took the lead 8-0 with just over three minutes to go in the first quarter on a 2-yard run from Ryheem Dixon. But the Choctaw County fought back, taking a 13-8 lead over FHS with a 4-yard TD and a 70-yard interception return.
But the Canes stormed back for the lead with a 15-yard run from Gorad Sanders with just under eight minutes go in the half. That put Flomaton on top for the remainder of the contest.
Tripp Vickery was 5 for 6 with 171 yards. He had a 77-yard TD pass to Levi Carden and a 15-yard pass to Dylan Carpenter. Dixon had three touchdowns on the night and 116 yards on 17 carries. Sander racked up 82 yards for Flomaton on eight carries.
The Flomaton Hurricanes (1-2, 1-1) will be on the road next Friday night at Mobile Christian.
Man Gets 40 Years In Oakwood Terrace Shooting
September 15, 2012
An Escambia man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for a shooting at Oakwood Terrace.
Marlon Faron Kelly, 27, was convicted of two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and aggravated assault with a firearm.
Following the verdict, Judge Jan Shackelford sentenced Kelly to 40 years state prison with 25 years as a mandatory minimum under the 10-20-Life law.
In the early morning hours of October 10, 2011, at the Oakwood Terrace Apartment complex, Kelly fired a 45-caliber pistol at three young men as they were leaving the complex. Two of the victims were shot in the back of their legs while the third was unharmed.
Kelly was developed as the primary suspect and confessed to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator.
12.5 Pounds Of Pot Found During Raid, Two Charged
September 15, 2012
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office seized 12.5 pounds of marijuana as they executed a search warrant Friday.
“Once all was said and done, 12.5 pounds of marijuana, crack and powder cocaine and prescription drugs were seized and taken off the streets of Escambia County,” said Matt Baxter, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office, about the raid in the 7100 block of Glendora Street.
Stefan Casanova, 26, and Artic Pryor, 23, both of Pensacola, were arrested during the raid and are facing multiple drug related charges.
Sneads Pirates Take 19-14 Win From The Jay Royals
September 15, 2012
The Jay Royals lost to the Sneads Pirates in Jay Friday night, 19-14.
Sneads took the lead with two and quarter minutes to go in the first quarter. The Pirates held on to the their 7-0 advantage until the Royals tied it up 7-7 with three and half minutes in the half with a pass from QB Tate Upton to Ashton Dennington.
The Royals were pumped as the second half began, scoring on play number two of the third quarter with a 64-yarder from Upton to Hunter Dillawhaw, 14-7 Jay. Sneads quickly fought back but missed a kick for Jay to retain the lead 14-13.
Sneads sealed the win on a 75-yarder for a 19-14 win.
The Jay Royals will sit out next week with an open date before hitting the road to South Walton on September 28.
Pictured: The Jay Royals at home Friday night with a loss to Sneads. NorthEscambia.com photos by Michelle Gibbs, click to enlarge.
Escambia County’s Justin Gatlin, Team USA Honored At White House
September 15, 2012
Escambia County Olympian Justin Gatlin and the rest of Team USA were welcomed to the White House Friday to honor their participation and success in this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.
At an event on the South Lawn, Mrs. Obama told the athletes that she was impressed not only by the 200-plus medals they brought home, but also by their dedication and hard work leading up to the games.
“I want you to know how inspired we are by all of you — your passion, your dedication, your courage,” First Lady Michelle Obama said the during the event on the South Lawn.
President Barack Obama — who shared that he was able to catch some of the Olympic events thanks to mastering his DVR — told the athletes that they “could not have been better ambassadors and better representatives for the United States and what we stand for”.
During the 2012 Olympics Gatlin won the bronze in the men’s 100m dash and, along with his team, took the silver in the men’s 4×100 meter relay.
“I went out there to challenge a mountain,” Gatlin said after winning the bronze. “I went out there to challenge the odds.”
Pictured top: Escambia County Olympian Justin Gatlin (far left) and Team USA were welcome to the White House Friday. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.