Cantonment Man Charged In Stefani Circle Homicide
March 5, 2013
A Cantonment man was arrested last night in connection with a deadly drug-related home invasion late last year in Cantonment.
Robert Dale Purifoy aka Robert Miles, 32, was charged with the November 6, 2012, murder of Amber Tricona Johnson. Johnson, 22, who was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire during a home invasion on Stefani Circle. Johnson was found dead inside the home from an apparent gunshot wound.
An undisclosed amount of money and a “significant” quantity of marijuana was found at the scene, leading investigators to believe that robbery was a motive, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.
Purifoy is being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail.
Rain Chance Returns
March 5, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 59. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 63. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. North wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Light east wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.
- Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.
- Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.
- Tuesday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.
Natural Gas Still Leaking Somewhere Under Hwy 29; Repairs Coming Soon
March 5, 2013
Over a year after the problem was first publicly revealed as a potential “major public safety issue”, natural gas continues to leak under Highway 29 in Century.
The leak has not gotten any worse, according to the town’s engineer, Dale Long. Routine checks are performed to ensure the problem does not worsen.
About 6,515 feet of 4-inch steel natural gas line was buried beneath the southbound lanes of Highway 29 when the road was widened to four lanes. Now, over 45 years since the almost 1.25 mile long pipe was put into the ground, the town believes the steel is corroding and leaking somewhere between West Highway 4 and McCurdy Street.
In April 2012, Century signed off on a $1.4 million USDA Rural Development loan to cover the cost of replacing the pipe. But, according to town officials, the town received the wrong form from the USDA, and as a result advertised the meetings incorrectly.
That meant heading back to the drawing board and starting the loan process again.
Monday night, the Century Town Council gave preliminary approval to a bond issue for just over $1.4 million. Once it is approved by the state, it will be sent back to the council for final approval. The total time until work might begin on the project should be about three months, Long said.
A new 4-inch pipe will be placed on the west side of Highway 29, while a new 2-inch pipe will be installed on the east side of the highway, eliminating the need to install pipes under the road to service natural gas customers.
The pipe will be installed where existing easements exist or can be obtained at no cost, otherwise, it will be installed under existing sidewalks.
Pictured above and below: Natural gas is leaking under Highway 29 in Century. Pictured inset: Century Mayor Freddie McCall signs documents in April for a $1.401 million USDA Rural Development loan to repair the leaky gas lines. The loan was later invalidated by the USDA due to an incorrect form. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ransom Middle Krafty Krew Art Club Silent Auction, Craft Show Planned
March 5, 2013
The Ransom Middle School Krafty Krew Art Club will host their seventh Annual Silent Art Auction and Craft Show from 6- 7:30 p.m. Friday in the school cafeteria.
Students will be auctioning their pottery alongside art donated by local artists. Local crafters have also been invited to sell their wares.
All proceeds from the auction will go to the American Cancer Society through Relay for Life. The Tate and Ransom Orchestras will be playing throughout the event and refreshments will be provided to attendees. A table will be available at no charge for fine art donations and crafters.
For more information, contact Emily Jefferis, Krafty Krew sponsor, (850) 937-2220, ext. 262 or by email at ejefferis@escambia.k12.fl.us.
Century Man Charged With Burglary, Copper Theft At Town Building
March 5, 2013
A Century man has been charged in connection with a burglary and copper theft at vacant town-owned industrial building in Century.
Jonathan Devon Andrews, 29, was charged with felony burglary, grand theft and criminal mischief with property damage. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning with bond set at $8,500.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Andrews burglarized the former Van Nevel Helicopters building on Industrial Boulevard in Century in late January. He forcibly removed sections of industrial size copper tubing from eight outdoor air conditioning condensing units, according to an arrest report, and removed a garbage can from the building that contained three paint gun spray heads. The air conditioning units were not opened or damaged.
The property removed by Andrews and damage caused by its removal was estimated to be $6,500, the report states.
According to investigators, Andrews was positively identified as the suspect by a fingerprint removed from broken glass where entry was made into the front of the building.
Also in late January, someone stole copper from 10 of 14 units at the Town of Century’s Habitat Building on Pond Street. Andrews has not been a named a suspect in that theft. Anyone with information on the Habitat burglary is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
The copper thefts hit Century’s budget hard, with $23,349 in repairs not covered by insurance, according to Mayor Freddie McCall.
Pictured: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said a fingerprint belonging to Jonathan Devon Andrews was positively identified on glass broken during a burglary at the town-owned Van Nevel Helicopter building in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Minimum Mandatory Sentences For People With RX Drugs Debated
March 5, 2013
The state’s drug laws allow painkiller addicts to be charged as dealers and sent away for long sentences for possession of amounts of drugs that are common for people battling addiction – though not necessarily selling – say backers of a proposed change to the sentencing law.
A bill to give judges more discretion in cases where people are charged with trafficking was approved Monday in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.
Supporters of the measure say people with a relatively small amount of prescription painkillers – less than many addicts say they take in a day – can be charged with trafficking.
Opponents, including police and prosecutors, say painkiller abuse has become the main drug problem police are fighting and urged lawmakers not to get rid of tough sentences. They argue that prosecutors have the discretion to decide to charge true addicts who aren’t involved in dealing with simple possession.
But often, prosecutors don’t do that, argued Sarasota defense attorney Derek Byrd.
“I’ve got a lot of clients sitting in prison right now who had 15 pills,” Byrd told the panel. “It’s just not fair…. We are netting people who are not traffickers.”
The measure sponsored by Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, would allow judges to depart from minimum mandatory terms in some cases involving first time offenders. It was approved by the committee 6-1 with Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, the lone “no” vote.
By The News Service of Florida
Third Suspect Arrested In Attempted Homicide
March 5, 2013
The third suspect in an attempted homicide that occurred in 2012 was arrested Sunday.
Kenneth Weathers, 22, of 1013 North L St., Pensacola, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon by Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies.
Weathers was wanted on an outstanding Pensacola Police Department warrant for attempted homicide and firing into an occupied vehicle for an incident that occurred September 17, 2012, at Tarragona and Hernandez streets. In that incident, a 20-year-old male was sitting in a car when he was shot.
An officer on patrol near Tarragona and Hernandez streets heard the gun shots, responded to the area and saw a truck leave the area at a high rate of speed. Officers followed the truck and arrested two males – Ulysses Samuel Jr., 34, of the 700 block of Fowler Avenue, Pensacola and Aquarius Devaughn, 17, of the 2500 block of North Seventh Avenue, Pensacola.
Both were charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. In addition to the arrests, officers also recovered three guns from the truck.
Detective Justin Roedel said the victim was shot during a disturbance. Roedel said multiple suspects shot into the vehicle.
The Gun Crime Task Force was activated for the investigation, and additional arrests are pending as the investigation continues, Roedel said.
On Sunday, deputies saw a vehicle fail to completely stop at a stop sign at Roosevelt and Crescent drives and followed it. The vehicle pulled into a driveway in the 200 block of Crescent
Drive. Weathers was driving the car; the other two occupants got out and ran but also were captured. All suspects were arrested on drug charges by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Two Indicted In Christmas Eve Kidnapping, Murder
March 5, 2013
Two men have been indicted for murder for a Christmas Eve kidnapping and murder.
An Escambia County grand jury indicted Deavis Saulsberry and Trevon Nelson for first degree felony murder, armed burglary, five counts of false imprisonment and one count of grand theft auto in the death of Torrance Hackworth.
Torrance Hackworth was kidnapped from his home on Christmas Eve morning 2012. The car used in his kidnapping was found submerged at the Sanders Beach boat ramp later that morning. Hackworth’s body was found two days later in a vacant lot.
Two Time Super Bowl Champ Inspires Chiefs At Annual Football Banquet
March 5, 2013
Two-time Super Bowl champion Anthony Pleasant spoke words of inspiration to the state champion Northview Chiefs Monday night during their annual football banquet.
Champions are special, Pleasant told the young men, and champions should work to fulfill the role. “You guys are champs,” he told the Chiefs, “You have won the state championship, conduct yourselves as champions.”
Acting like a champion means respecting authority, the Century native said, “because you can’t get there if you do not respect authority.”
Pleasant said relationships are key in life, and bridges should never be burned. A team, the Super Bowl champ said, is a group of unselfish players that do not look out only for their own interests, but for those of their teammates.”
Pleasant encouraged the Chiefs players to pursue their dreams, whether or not those dreams include football.
“Not everyone will be a professional ball player, but whatever your passion – follow it, pursue your passion.”
Pleasant is a former pro football player selected in the third round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. During his 14 year NFL career, Pleasant played for the Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, the Atlanta Falcons, the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots. He played a total of 202 NFL games and racked up 58 sacks and two interceptions. The 1986 Century High School graduate earned two Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots.
Pictured: Two time Super Bowl champ Anthony Pleasant addresses the Northview Chiefs during their annual football banquet Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview’s Kyles, Woods, Sign Football Scholarships
March 5, 2013
Two members of the Northview High School state champion football team inked scholarship Monday afternoon to play for Northeast Mississippi Community College.
Running back LaMikal Kyles and linebacker Roderick Woods, Jr. are headed to Booneville, MS, in the fall. The second cousins were four-year starters for the Northview Chiefs, playing under Sid Wheatley since his first season as head coach
Kyles had about two dozen touchdowns and over 1,300 rushing yards his senior season, while Woods accumulated almost 90 tackles in his seven-game season.
Pictured top: Roderick Woods (left) and LaMikal Kyles inked scholarships Monday afternoon with Northeast Mississippi Community College. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
