Car Crashes Into Cantonment Home
December 3, 2014
A driver lost control and crashed into a Cantonment home early this morning.
The vehicle came to rest complete inside the home on Petty Drive, off of Tate Road, about 4:15 a.m. The occupants of the home and the driver of the car were not injured.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details including the name of the driver have not yet been released. Escambia County EMS and Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Rep. Clay Ingram Name Chair Of Transportation & Economic Development Subcommittee
December 3, 2014
Rep. Clay Ingram (R-Pensacola) has been named chairman of the House Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee for the 2014-2016 legislative term.
“Rep. Ingram has distinguished himself as a thoughtful and deliberative leader in the Florida House. I have full confidence that Representative Ingram will manage the budget for transportation and economic development projects in a fair manner that addresses the needs of Floridians in every corner of our state,” said House Speaker Steve Crisafulli (R-Merritt Island).
“I am excited to get to work on Florida’s transportation infrastructure and continuing to make this the best place in the world to start or grow a business,” Ingram said.
The Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee’s scope includes the Department of Transportation, the Department of State, the Department of Economic Opportunity, the Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles, and the Department of Military Affairs.
Escambia Man Passes Away Following Crash
December 3, 2014
An Escambia County man has passed away following a traffic crash last week.
Ngo Vo, 69, passed away at Baptist Hospital days after the crash at Valle Escondido Drive at West Michigan Avenue, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. About 10:10 a.m. on November 25, Vo was northbound on Valle Escondido Drive when he lost control of his 2013 Hyundai Tucson and struck a tree.
A passenger in the vehicle, 39-year old Johnny Vo, received minor injuries.
Evers Files Bill To Unbuckle Seat Belts For Rural Letter Carriers
December 3, 2014
A Northwest Florida senator filed a bill Tuesday that would allow rural letter carriers to deliver mail without wearing seat belts.
The bill, filed by Sen. Greg Evers (R-Baker), will be considered during the 2015 legislative session.
The state’s law requiring motorists to wear seat belts includes limited exemptions, such as for workers collecting garbage or recyclable goods. Evers’ bill (SB 160) would add an exemption for rural letter carriers “performing duties in the course of his or her employment on a designated postal route.”
Cantonment Man Charged With Stealing From Father, Fleeing From Deputies
December 3, 2014
A Cantonment man that fled from Escambia County deputies has been arrested for violating probation and allegedly stealing from his father.
An Escambia County deputy reported positively identifying24-year old Thomas Blain Arnold as the driver of a Nissan Frontier on Muscogee Road and attempting a traffic stop due to Arnold having two outstanding no-bond violation of probation warrants. After deputies activated their emergency lights and attempted a traffic stop, Arnold reportedly took evasive action by passing another vehicle in a no passing zone on Muscogee Road. That action prompted the deputies to terminate the attempted traffic stop due to the department’s pursuit policy.
Arnold is accused of stealing three deep sea fishing reels valued at about $2,800 from his father’s locked shed on Jacks Branch Road. He later sold one of the reels on Facebook for $150, but the purchaser became suspicious after locating the initials of the original owner on the reel, according to an arrest report.
Arnold was charged with felonies including burglary of an unoccupied structure, grand theft, dealing in stolen property and fleeing or eluding law enforcement. He was also arrested for violation of probation on previous convictions for aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. He remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Report Clears Dept. Of Corrections Whistleblowers
December 3, 2014
Corrections investigators did nothing wrong when they took nude photographs of a prison guard suspected of having sex with an inmate at a Panhandle prison, a report released by Gov. Rick Scott’s inspector general found.
Scott Inspector General Melinda Miguel quietly released the 76-page report Wednesday, clearing five investigators and two prison guards of any wrongdoing regarding a search warrant that allowed the investigators to take nude pictures of Franklin Correctional Institution officer Kassidy Hill, who later threatened to sue the department and filed a discrimination complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations. The commission found no cause for the complaint.
Four of 
the investigators, who work for Department of Corrections Inspector General Jeff Beasley, accused Beasley of launching the probe after they alleged Miguel’s office was aware of a cover-up involving the death of Randall Jordan-Aparo. The inmate died at the Franklin County institution in 2010 after being gassed with noxious chemicals.
The investigators — Doug Glisson, Aubrey P. Land, James Padgett and John Ulm — later sued Beasley, who answers to Miguel, Scott and others for retaliation against them after Miguel refused to grant them whistleblower status last year. Former corrections worker Christina Bullins, also one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, contends she was fired after she raised questions about the circumstances surrounding Jordan-Aparo’s death. Bullins’ brother was an inmate at the prison in a cell adjacent to Jordan-Aparo in the solitary confinement unit at the Carrabelle institution.
Their lawyer, Steven Andrews, contends that the new report proves that the investigators were targeted by the inspector general.
The report “fully exonerates my clients and raises a lot of questions as to why it was filed,” Andrews said. “It was clearly retaliatory for their disclosures concerning Randall Jordan-Aparo.”
The Hill case was part of a larger investigation into wrongdoing at the prison, now under scrutiny by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and led the inspectors to raise flags about the handling of Jordan-Aparo’s death.
The new report was authored by Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission inspector general investigator Amy Schmidt, who was brought on in November to look into Hill’s allegations. Schmidt wrote that the inspectors followed protocol in obtaining the search warrant, signed by a judge, which allowed them to photograph “the full body” of Hill.
The investigators first discovered they were part of an internal probe at a Christmas party a year ago, when Beasley told Ulm, Glisson, Williams, Padgett and Beasley’s deputy, Ken Sumpter, that “we f—- up” by taking pictures of Hill, according to an interview with Ulm included in the report.
Ulm told investigators that “Beasley also said that DOC GC (General Counsel) Jennifer Parker ‘had come down and told him the agency was going to have to ‘write a big ole fat check’ ” to settle Hill’s complaint.
The report also showed that former Secretary of Corrections Michael Crews, who retired last week, met with Beasley and Miguel in February three days after the prisons chief met with Ulm, Glisson, Land and David Clark, another IG investigator who is part of the lawsuit.
“After meeting with Secretary Crews and Beasley, CIG Miguel contacted Beasley and advised him to cease any activity on the ongoing investigations of (the cases) until the CIG’s Office could obtain a full briefing regarding these open investigations,” Schmidt wrote.
The Scott administration issued a brief statement Tuesday about the report and the whistleblowers’ allegations. “The whistleblower lawsuit is a matter for the Courts to decide,” Scott spokesman John Tupps said in the statement. “The Chief Inspector General’s report was completed on Nov. 26, 2014. A female correctional officer complained of mistreatment. Melinda Miguel wanted to ensure objectivity in the investigation and requested investigative assistance from FWC.”
The report also highlighted internal problems within the corrections inspector general’s office. The agency was relying on an outdated policy manual, written in 2006 but updated frequently through internal e-mails or memos issued by Beasley.
“When asked about the policies and procedures in place during June 2013 and his understanding of the policies and memorandums included in this investigation, Padgett stated, ‘I’m going to sum it up for you the best way that I can. Total confusion. Just chaotic as far as procedures and this directive and that directive and just like I stated, I came into the office, there is no FTO (Field Training Officer) manual … no FTO training policy, there is no check off list … it’s learn as you go.’ Padgett added that until very recently there had been one directive after another pushed out to the field,” Schmidt wrote.
Beasley has since implemented some improvements, including a tracking system to ensure that all directives issued to staff have been received, something that did not exist in 2013, the report noted.
The report also “recommended that guidelines be adopted to specifically address the taking of photographs during an investigation and to enhance the guidance surrounding the search of an employee’s person that involves the visual inspection of the employee’s unclothed body.”
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Escambia Investigators Seek Info In August Murder
December 3, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is turning to the public for help in solving an August murder.
The body of 25-year old Tyler Evans was found off of Weller near Gulf Beach Highway. He was last seen driving a 2000 gold Toyota Tacoma which was later recovered in the Ensley area.
Anyone with information related to the homicide is asked to call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP. Callers do not have to provide their name and may be eligible for an award.
Ernest Ward Splits Basketball Games With Perdido Middle School
December 3, 2014
Ernest Ward Middle School split basketball games will Perdido (AL) Middle School Tuesday in Walnut Hill.
The Ernest Ward Eagles beat Perdido 30-19 in boys’ action, while Perdido defeated the EWMS Lady Eagles 17-14 on their home court.
The Eagles have three road games remaining in their season, beginning with a trip to Flomaton on Thursday. The Eagles will take on the Canes at 4:30 for the girls and 5:30 for the boys.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary First Graders Visit Century Town Hall
December 3, 2014
First graders from Byrneville Elementary School recently visited the Century Town Hall on a field trip. In addition to visiting Mayor Freddie McCall’s office and hold the “Key to the Town”, they learned about the rules regard proper display of the U.S. flag. The students from Candice Thornton and Amanda Dawson’s classes also learned about the delivery of water to homes and water billing. And the students also discovered that although Century is a small town, it takes numerous community workers laboring to make it work. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Transportation Director To Step Down
December 2, 2014
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad has become the third of Gov. Rick Scott’s agency heads to step down since the general election.
Prasad, a professional engineer tapped by Scott to run the agency in April 2011, will leave the job Jan. 2, the governor’s office announced Tuesday.
With Scott pushing to expand parts of Florida’s transportation infrastructure, the agency under Prasad has grown from a $7 billion operation to $10.1 billion in the current year.
“Secretary Prasad has also helped Florida become a major force in international trade because of his commitment to expanding our Florida ports and airports,” Scott said in a prepared statement. “I am grateful for Secretary Prasad’s service to our state, and we will continue making our transportation system a top priority as we select another excellent leader for this department.”
The news about Prasad follows announcements last week that Department of Corrections Secretary Mike Crews and Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Herschel Vinyard will retire.
Scott now has at least five new leaders to appoint as he gets ready to start a second term.
The Florida Department of Children and Families and the Department of Juvenile Justice are operating under interim secretaries.
Prasad’s replacement will come from a list of candidates recommended by the Florida Transportation Commission, whose nine members are all appointed by the governor.
Prasad spent 18 years at the agency, including stints as chief engineer and director of construction, before being selected by Scott.
During the recent election campaign, Scott hyped a plan to reinforce the state’s roads, ports and airports by expanding parts of the agency’s $41 billion, 5-year work program.
The state has spent $582 million the past three years on improvements at Florida’s seaports, with an eye on establishing Florida as a global trade crossroad. An additional $139 million is included in the current fiscal year budget for more than 20 port projects across the state.