Cops: Man Breaks Into Home As Ex Is Seeking Restraining Order
March 15, 2012
A Century man has been arrested for allegedly breaking into the home of his ex-girlfriend while she was at the courthouse getting a restraining order against him.
David Lynell Williams, 27, was arrested this week on outstanding warrants for unarmed burglary of a dwelling and criminal mischief. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $24,000.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, Williams is accused of kicking in the door of his ex-girlfriend’s home on Deborah Drive in December. The ex-girlfriend was at the courthouse filing for a restraining order while her sister was watching their children.
Once inside the home, Williams went to the victim’s bedroom, then ran out the backdoor and fled in a vehicle.
Deputies had responded to the home earlier in the day after the girlfriend report Williams was beating on the victim’s front door. They were unable to locate him once they arrived on scene.
Escambia Man Sentenced As Sexual Predator
March 15, 2012
An Escambia County man has been sentenced as a sexual predator.
Clifford Wiggins was sentenced to a minimum mandatory of 25 years state prison plus 21 years state prison to run concurrently, all followed by a life term of probation with an electronic monitor.
Wiggins was also designated a sexual predator.
On March 13, 2012, Wiggins entered his plea before Judge Jan Shackelford to four counts of sexually related offenses. Between April 2008 and April 2009, on one or more occasions, Wiggins committed sexual battery upon a 15-year female family member, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
Council On Aging Support Group Meets Tonight
March 15, 2012
The Council on Aging of West Florida will host a Century Caregiver Support Group Meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m.
There is no cost and the public is invited. Reservations are not required.
The meeting will be held at Century Care Center located at 6020 Industrial Blvd. The group meets on the third Thursday of each month at the same time and location. County residency is not required to attend.
The support group is designed to reduce stress, increase coping skills, provide strategies for effective management of care giving tasks and enable caregivers to provide high quality care in the home. The programs are sponsored by Council on Aging of West Florida, the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging.
For more information, call (850) 432-1475.
Northview Beats Baker
March 15, 2012
The Northview Chiefs took two from the Baker Gators on Wednesday.
Northview 5 — Baker 3 (JV)
The Northview junior varsity baseball team defeated the Baker Gators 5-3 Wednesday afternoon. The win improves the JV to 4-2-1 on the season. They will play next against Freeport on Tuesday, March 20, beginning at 4:00 in Bratt.
Northview 4 — Baker 2
The varsity team picked up a big district win against Baker Wednesday at Northview. They defeated the Gators 4-2. Baker scored one in the fourth and one in the 7th. The Chiefs scored all four runs in the 5th inning.
Leading hitters for Northview were: Tanner Brooks, 1 for 3, with 2 RBI. Hunter Rigby 1 for 3, with a run scored. Kevin Vaughan was 1 for 3, with an RBI. David Burkett was 1 for 3. Winston Riley, Brannon Freeman, and Destin Pizzolato all went 1 for 3, with each having a run scored.
Kevin Vaughan pitched 6 ⅓ strong innings for Northview to pick up the win. Hunter Rigby finished the win off, pitching the final ⅓ of an inning.
Northview will be back in action Thursday against Bonifay. The game is at Northview beginning at 6:00.
Authorities Searching For Missing Man
March 14, 2012
This is an archived story. Click here for an updated story.
Authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing man.
Terry Snelson, 42, was last seen on March 9 in the 900 block of Candy Lane in Cantonment. He may be driving a 1999 white Ford F150 with Florida tag 390XGY, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Snelson is described as being a white male, about 6-foot 2-inches tall, 200 pounds with hazel eyes.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or (850) 436-9199.
Unemployment Rate Drops, So Did The Number Of Jobs
March 14, 2012
Unemployment dropped or held steady across the area from December to January, according to numbers released Tuesday, but number of employed people actually went down nearly 4,000 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
That’s the result of a smaller labor force, due to people no longer looking, or possibly because they’ve moved elsewhere.
Escambia County’s unemployment rate was down slightly from 9.7 percent in December to 9.4 percent in January. There were 561 fewer unemployed during the period, but the workforce decreased by about 2,700 jobs. One year ago, the unemployment rate in Escambia County was 10.9 percent.
Santa Rosa County’s unemployment rate held steady at 8.9 percent from December to January. There were 105 fewer unemployed during the period, but the workforce decreased by about 1,200 jobs. One year ago, the unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 9.4 percent.
Unemployment in Florida dropped to 9.6 percent in January, down from 9.9 percent in December and more than a full percentage point lower than it was a year ago, the Department of Economic Opportunity announced Tuesday. That rate is the lowest since March 2009, DEO said.
While the drop marks a noted improvement in Florida, the state’s unemployment rate remains among the highest, and is still more than a full percentage point above the national unemployment rate of 8.3 percent.
And on another down note, while the jobless rate dropped from December to January, the number of employed people in the state actually went down by more than 38,000, from 7.33 million to 7.29 million, a 0.5 percent drop, after a year of mostly seeing job growth. Like the local area, the drop in employed persons is due to the fact that people are no longer looking for work or have moved.
Dense Fog Advisory
March 14, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Areas of fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Thursday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: Areas of fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Friday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Areas of fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 82. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: Areas of fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
- Sunday Night: Areas of fog after 2am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Monday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.
- Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 79.
Nokomis Man Pleads Guilty To 2001 Murder
March 14, 2012
A Nokomis, Ala., man has plead guilty to the 2001 murder of 25-year old Woodrow “Token” Allen.
Bruce Edward Day was sentenced this week to a 20 year split sentence. He will serve three years in state prison to be followed by seven years on probation.
In October 2009, Escambia County, Ala., authorities obtained a murder warrant for Day in connection with the death of Allen.
Day was reportedly working for a contractor at the Gulf Power Crist Plant in Pensacola. Day was summoned to an office at the plant 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.
The followed day, Day’s father called Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith and told the sheriff that he wanted to talk to him “now” at his Atmore residence. When the sheriff arrived, Day surrendered without incident.
Day, now 44, was arrested previously on attempted murder charged in January 2002 for shooting three times into a vehicle on James Road in Nokomis on October 28, 2001. The vehicle was occupied at the time by Allen, 25, and his juvenile niece.
Allen’s mother reported him missing on December 17, 2001, claiming that she has last seen her son on December 13, 2001.
Allen was last seen walking away from the residence of his friend, Donald David Clemmons on Nathan Road in Nokomis. When Day was arrested by Escambia County (Ala.) deputies in January 2002, he was in a vehicle on Highway 31 in Nokomis with Clemmons, according to reports. Methamphetamines and drug paraphernalia were found in the vehicle with the two men, deputies said.
Day was charged with shooting into an occupied vehicle, two counts of attempted murder, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Authorities said Allen was scheduled to testify against Day over the shooting. Day was found not guilty on the attempted murder charges, and he was sentenced to a year in jail for reckless endangerment.
Century’s Mayor ‘Rethinking Rural’ This Week
March 14, 2012
Century Mayor Freddie McCall is scheduled to attend the “Rethinking Rural” Rural Economic Development and Tourism Summit the next three days near Tallahassee.
The summit will focus on several issues facing rural areas, including changes in the way the state of Florida is focusing on these issues and partnerships with such entities as education and the military, according to organizers. Agenda items will include a legislative update, self-sustainability by economic development organizations, tourism and funding sources.
The cost for the mayor to attend the summit will be $95 plus two nights in a hotel.
Pictured: Century Mayor Freddie McCall at a recent Century Town Council meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Repeat Robber Gets Life For Tom Thumb Holdup
March 14, 2012
An Escambia County man was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday for the armed robbery of a Tom Thumb.
Andrew Fountain III was sentenced to life in prison today by Circuit Court Judge Rasmussen. Fountain was convicted last month by an Escambia County Jury of two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon.
The robbery that Fountain was sentenced for today occurred just four months after Fountain’s last release from prison for another robbery charge.
On September 11, 2010, Fountain entered the Tom Thumb gas station at the intersection of Blue Angel Parkway and Mobile Highway, produced a butcher knife, and demanded
money. After taking money from two clerks working at the gas station, Fountain ran out of the store and fled in silver car.
A passerby saw the commotion and followed Fountain down Blue Angel Parkway. Fountain then stopped in the Springfield Meadows subdivision and exited the car to remove the clothing he wore to commit the robbery. At that time he was seen and identified by the citizen who had followed him. Fountain was also identified by one of the clerks who was robbed.