Northview’s Thomas Inks Graceland Football Scholarship
February 22, 2014
Northview High School senior La’Quan Thomas signed a football scholarship Friday with Graceland University, a NAIA school in Iowa. Graceland University is a private liberal arts university of about 2300 students and 150 faculty. Pictured top: Thomas signs his college scholarship as family members look on Friday morning. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Animal Services Advisory Committee To Hold Special Meeting
February 22, 2014
The Escambia County Animal Services Advisory Committee has scheduled a special meeting for Thursday, February 27, at 5:30 p.m., and will be held at the West Florida Public Library System’s Main Library in meeting room C, 239 North Spring Street, Pensacola.
The purpose of this special meeting is to review a draft amendment to Escambia County’s animal control ordinance.
Scores: Baseball Wins For Tate JV, Flomaton; Softball Wins For Northview
February 22, 2014
In junior varsity baseball, Tate downed Northview 10-4. Tate took an 8-0 lead early in the game, with the Chiefs coming up short after rallying to score four runs in the fourth inning. The JV Aggies will host Washington at 4:30 next Tuesday, while the JV Chiefs will host Flomaton in Bratt at 4:00 Monday.
The Flomaton Hurricanes shut out Escambia County High School of Atmore Frida, 15-0. The ‘Canes will travel to Bratt on Monday to face the Chiefs of Northview. T he JV takes the mound at 4:00, followed by the varsity at 6:00.
In softball action, the Northview junor varsity beat Baker 12-5, the varsity Chiefs beat the Gators 8-6. In varsity action, Mallory Ryan recorded five strikeouts and 16 hits for the Chiefs. The Chiefs hit the road on Monday to take on Holmes County.
Pictured: The JV Tate Aggies defeated the Northview Chiefs Friday night 10-4. NorthEscambia.com photos by Ramona Preston, click to enlarge.
High Winds Topple 18-Wheeler, Cause Extensive Damage To Farm, Barns
February 21, 2014
Early morning storms left damage south of Walnut Hill early Friday morning, including an estimated $100,000 in damage to one local farm.
At a home and surrounding farm at the end of Mason Road just off Highway 97, there was extensive damage to multiple metal barns, storage sheds and farm equipment. Roofs were ripped from barns, barn doors were ripped open, farm equipment was tossed about and tractors were damaged by debris. The roof was lifted from a cottage, and large oak trees were splintered and uprooted.
Several items that did not belong to the farm were in a pasture, including a baby mattress and a Salter’s Lake Road street sign. The origin of the street sign was not immediately known….there did not appear to be any missing signs on Salter’s Lake Road near Century this morning, and there was no storm damage in that area.
An 18-wheeler parked at the intersection of Highway 97 and Tungoil road was flipped onto its side and into a field. Power lines in the area were twisted around power poles and downed across the highway. Street signs were knocked over, and several pine trees in the area were snapped off several feet into the air.
At least three other homes between Tungoil and Mason Roads had damage…including downed trees and damaged outdoor sheds.
The exact time the damage occurred was not known; however a tornado warning was issued for the area. At 2:57 a.m. National Weather Service Doppler Radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado about 10 miles northwest of Molino…very near the Highway 97 and Tungoil Road area. But officials said late Friday afternoon that the damage appeared to be from powerful straight-line winds and possibly a microburst.
Hundreds of EREC and Gulf Power customers lost power in the storm. In the largest outage, Gulf Power reported about 420 customers along and near Highway 97 from Gibson Road south across Highway 29 without power.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Gets 11 Years For I-10 DUI Hit And Run
February 21, 2014
A Milton woman was sentenced Thursday to just over 11.5 years in prison for the DUI manslaughter traffic death of a Pace man last April on I-10.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 26-year old Brianna Lynn Strum of Milton was charged with DUI manslaughter, DUI serious injury, DUI property damage, leaving the scene of a crash with death and leaving the scene of a crash with serious injury following the 3 a.m. April 28, 2013, wreck on I-10 near Scenic Highway.
Strum was traveling east on I-10 in a 2007 Honda Odyssey when she failed to see a 2013 Dodge Charger in front of her. She did not slow down or change lanes, but instead rear-ended the Dodge, causing it to enter the grass median and overturn several times, the FHP said.
A passenger in the Dodge Charger, 33-year old Robert Michael Hall Roy of Pace, was ejected and died from the injuries he received in the crash. The driver of the Charger, 30-year old Miguel Antonio Bonet of Whiting Field and front seat passenger Michael J. Edwards of Whiting Field, both received minor injuries. Another passenger, 24-year old Bernard Ulgalde of Milton, was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition.
Pictured: One person died and three others were injured when this Dodge Charger was rear-ended by a Brianna Lynn Strum on I-10 last April. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Burglar Shot In The Act Fails To Show For Sentencing Hearing
February 21, 2014
A burglar shot last summer by a Walnut Hill homeowner failed to appear in court Thursday at his sentencing hearing, and a warrant for his arrest was issued.
On January 21, 34-year old Ricky DeWayne Taylor of Century pleaded no contest to the charges against him, including burglary and grand theft. Judge Michael Allen allowed Taylor to stay free on bond until his February 20 sentencing hearing.
On May 17, 2013, Taylor broke into the victim’s home on Rockaway Creek Road and began removing items. The victim unexpectedly returned and caught Taylor and co-defendant Teresa Sunday in the act. Sunday, who was acquainted with the victim, had called him earlier that day to lure him away from the home to meet her at a local pool hall.
The victim held them at gunpoint with a .38 caliber revolver and contacted the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. As the victim was speaking with dispatchers, Taylor lunged toward him. The homeowner fired a .38 caliber revolver, striking Taylor in the leg and grazing Sunday on the left cheek. Taylor was alert and conscious when he was transferred to LifeFlight to be airlifted to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. He was charged with burglary, larceny, criminal mischief property damage and battery.
Sunday, age 35 of Century, pleaded guilty to charges of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and grand theft of a dwelling. In January, she was sentenced by Judge Michael Allen to five years in state prison.
Taylor was also charged with burglary and grand theft on Klondike Road on May 10, 2013. Deputies say he parked his Lincoln Town Car with Alabama plates near a home in the 8000 block of Klondike. He then allegedly took a duffel bag, five extension cords and a five gallon gas can from a barn and placed them outside, according to an arrest report.
The resident walked outside and confronted Taylor near the duffle bag outside of his barn. Taylor ran and the victim gave chase but was unable to keep up. The victim noticed the out of place Lincoln Town Car in the neighborhood and photographed the tag. After the victim returned home, he drove around in an attempt to located the suspect and passed the Lincoln, being driven by the man he chased from his yard.
Deputies were able to trace the Lincoln to Taylor from the tag photo, and the victim positively identified Taylor from a photo lineup.
Pictured: The scene on May17, 2013, at a burglary victim’s home on Rockaway Creek Road in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Man Arrested For Promotion And Possession Of Child Pornography
February 21, 2014
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Pensacola Regional Operations Center and Homeland Security Investigations arrested Joshua Keller Herrin, 35, of Pace on three counts of promotion of child pornography and 12 counts of possession of child pornography, both second degree felonies.
FDLE began its investigation in early February. Thursday, FDLE Agents, Homeland Security Investigations and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Herrin’s residence at 4040 Tiburon Boulevard in Pace. During the search, agents located multiple computers and mass media devices containing several hundred videos of child pornography.
Herrin was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail and is being held without bond.
Annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Farm Auction Is Saturday
February 21, 2014
The Annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Farm Equipment Auction will be held this Saturday, February 22 beginning at 9:30 a.m.
The auction includes not only farm equipment, but also household items like tools and small equipment, lawn and garden items, antiques and more. There will be a 10 percent sale fee with a $5 minimum and a $500 maximum. Settlement must be made the dale of the sale; unknown buyers must have cash, cashier’s check or a letter of credit from their bank.
Concessions will be available all day from the Ruritan Club.
The sale will be located at the Walnut Hill Community Center on Highway 97 just north of Ernest Ward Middle School.
For more information or consignments, call (850) 384-5761 or (850) 777-1084.
Pictured: Hundreds attended the annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Club farm equipment auction last year in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Baseball: Northview, Tate, Flomaton
February 21, 2014
Here are select high school baseball scores from around the area Thursday:
Northview
The junior varsity Northview Chiefs beat Baker, 4-3. The the varsity Chiefs earned their first district win over the Baker Gators 12-5. For the varsity, Brannon Freeman was 4-4 with four runs scored; Thomas More was 1-4 with one run; Aaron McDonald was 2-5; Kevin Barrow was 2-2 with two run scored; Brett Weeks was 2-2 with two runs scored; Roman Manning was 1-2 with one run. Daulton Tullis earned the win in seven innings, allowing three hits, five runs, one error, nine strikeouts and a double.
The varsity Chiefs (3-0, 1-0) will travel to Washington High in Pensacola on Saturday at 1:00. The JV Chiefs will head to Tate Friday night for a 6:00 game.
Tate
The junior varsity Tate Aggies beat Pace 6-3 Thursday, while the varsity Aggies fell to Pace 5-0. The junior varsity is now 2-2-1, while the varsity Aggies are 2-2. The junior varsity Aggies will host Northview Friday at 6:00, and the varsity Aggies will host Washington next Tuesday at 7 p.m..
Flomaton
J.U. Blacksher defeated the Flomaton Hurricanes 10-4. The next game for Flomaton is Friday at 5 p.m. against Escambia County (Atmore) High School in the W.S. Neal tournament.
Pictured top: Pitcher Josh Neese earned the win for the JV Northview Chiefs Thursday against the Gators in Baker. Picture inset and below: Northview’s varsit and junior varsity beat Baker Thursday in Baker. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO: More Charges Against Burglary Suspect
February 21, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that a man arrested for burglary earlier in the week is also responsible for at least five other crimes in Escambia County.
According to ECSO Investigators. Craig Warren Jackson, 35, has charges pending in connection with a string of burglaries, including:
- On January 31 a house burglary in the 2000 block of Southern Oaks Drive in which jewelry was stolen
- On February 3 a house burglary in the 2000 block of Southern Oaks Drive in which jewelry was stole
- On February 5 a house burglary in the 9000 block of Woodrun Road: a number of items, including electronics, weapons and jewelrywere stolen
- On February 14 a house burglary in the 1800 block of Filly Road, in which a safe, weapons and jewelry were stolen
- On February 18 a house burglary in the 10000 block of Tanager Circle, a safe and jewelry were stolen
ECSO Investigators are still working the case and said other charges may follow.