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Two Teens Sentenced For Burglaries That Led To Shots Fired, Fiery Molino Wreck
August 25, 2016
Two of three juveniles have been sentenced on multiple charges for their part in burglaries and a shots fired incident that led to a fiery two vehicle crash in Molino in late 2015.
Tracy Deshawn Lett, Jr. of Pensacola, Mariachi Jerrell Chambers of Cantonment, both age 17, were sentenced as youthful offenders by Circuit Judge Scott Duncan to 42 months in state prison to be followed by 18 months of probation. Lett and Chambers previously entered a plea in July 2016 to three counts of burglary of a conveyance, grand theft, and criminal mischief.
Co-defendant Vashawn Brown of Molino was charged with attempted third degree felony murder, three counts of armed burglary of a conveyance, criminal mischief, grand theft auto and petit theft. He is scheduled for his next court appearance next week.
(Article continues below photo)
About 4:50 a.m. on November 28, 2015, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the area of Highway 29 and Barth Road for a burglary of a vehicle in progress. In the meantime, the burglary victim told dispatchers that he was following the suspects south on Highway 29, and then he advised the suspects were shooting at him and his vehicle.
When the suspects reached Barth Road in Molino, they veered into oncoming traffic and struck a pickup truck, according to multiple witnesses. The driver of the pickup, Randall Enfinger, and his 15-year old granddaughter, Abbigail Barninger, were critically injured.
A deputy that arrived on scene a short time later reported finding the suspects’ crumpled vehicle with the engine compartment on fire. He observed the driver, later identified as Chambers, being removed from the driver’s seat by a passerby and Lett trapped with his legs pinned under the dash of the burning vehicle. The deputy and passersby were unable to free him, and the deputy tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire using a fire extinguisher. The deputy and bystanders then used dirt to smother the engine compartment fire and before pulling Lett from the vehicle.
The deputy then reportedly noticed that across the intersection one of the burglary victims was attempting to detain Brown. The deputy handcuffed and detained Brown.
The burglary victim told deputies that he was at his residence in the 500 block of Highway 164 when he heard his dogs barking and walking outside on his porch to see two males breaking into his 2006 Pontiac sedan. He said they ran away after he yelled at them. The burglary victim said his brother heard the suspects get into a vehicle and his brother followed the dark colored vehicle down Highway 29.
The burglary victim’s brother said he got into his pickup truck and followed the suspects down Highway 29. He said he tried to get around in front of them, according to court documents, but they came around his vehicle and shot at him five or six times. His pickup was hit at least three times. After observing the wreck, the victim’s brother said he chased one of the suspects, later identified as Brown, into the tree line and brought him back to the corner of the intersection.
An Escambia County EMS employee told deputies that Brown said he was walking home when he was chased and hit by a truck, dragged into the woods and hit several times. He told the EMS employee that he had found a gun on the side of the road and kept it for personal protection.
An investigation determined that the wrecked vehicle had been stolen earlier from a residence in the 9000 block of Barth Road where it was unlocked with a spare key in the trunk.
A debit or credit card belonging to the vehicle’s owner was recovered from Brown’s pocket, as was an empty magazine for a semi-automatic handgun that was recovered from the area were Brown was stopped, according to an arrest report.
The entire incident was investigated by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene but not process the traffic accident or make a report, according to court documents.
Brown and Lett were among five defendants charged in 2014 for their role in an August 2013 burglary at Molino Park Elementary School. Most the stolen items — including computers and iPads– were burned by the suspects. They were placed on juvenile probation under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Justice through age 19. Each was ordered to undergo counseling, and follow a curfew of 7 p.m. Sunday though Thursday nights and 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. It was not clear if that probation was still in effect at the time of the November 2015 burglary and traffic crash.
Pictured top and inset: Three people were injured when this vehicle crashed and burst into flames on Highway 29 at Barth Road November 8. Pictured below: The vehicle collided with this pickup, in which two people were trapped. Pictured bottom two photos: Bullet holes in a pickup that was reportedly following the car down Highway 29 after an attempted burglar in McDavid. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
18 Responses to “Two Teens Sentenced For Burglaries That Led To Shots Fired, Fiery Molino Wreck”
Read this and think it’s appropriate for this situation:
Everything you do is based on the choices you make.
It’s not your parents, your past relationships, your job (or lack of one), or the economy, the weather, or an argument that it’s your age that is to blame.
YOU and Only You are responsible for every decision and choice and action you make.
No doubt these 3 boys can be forgiven by those who they have harmed yet each one on his own must own up to and accept the Responsibility for the choices made.
Society depends upon laws and expectations of responsible and reasonable behaviors for the safety and well being of us all and these kids have violated that by making their harmful and illegal choices.
It’s amazing to see the injured family state over and over about their forgiveness, what God has done for them through all this, and their prayers for the 3 young men. God, help us change the things we can, and help us accept the things we cannot change, and grant us the wisdom to know the difference. Amen! God, please send even more special blessings to this amazing family! As for the 3 men, hoping our justice system will serve them well, and then ultimately God. I pray for the recovery and safety for this family. Amen
Ms. Neese: As others have stated, your example of Christian forgiveness is truly one we can all follow, as well as the one being set by your daughter. Forgiveness is commanded by God. BUT, it is part of society’s job to enforce the laws to help protect the safety of everyone, and when necessary, mete out punishment to those who choose to break the laws. We can still forgive these young men and pray God will change their hearts. That doesn’t mean they should be excused from punishment for their crimes. Those 2 things have nothing to do with each other. Their crimes were serious. The punishment should be just as serious.
Leighann, Wonderful comments.
Some of the others need better reading comprehension, the Brown boy has not been judged yet and has some more serious charges against him. Sounds like he was the instigator and could get a lot more years for his actions.
@Leighann Neese
You are a great blessing in a tragic situation. You are what a true Christian would do forgive and put it into Gods hands. I will forever remember your words and think of what God would do before I post my comments. If your family can forgive then who are we to post these unkind words. You have been a great blessing to me and for that I thank you. God is great!!!!!!
I am not even mad that these boys got 3.5 years instead of 30. No, Abbi doesn’t need surgery. Yes, she is doing great considering. There are some set backs, but we are all good. I personally wish everyone would quit worrying about things that are out of our control. We don’t know what will happen in the future for these boys, but I know who holds tomorrow. I also know He forgives. Learn a lesson from Abbi, forgive. None of you guys were in the wreck. You didn’t have the broken neck. Yet the one who did is forgiving. Shame on everyone here. I can’t even begin to tell you what God has done for us through this situation. We have learned so much of God’s goodness and how to lean on Him. I pray you all never find yourself on either side of this story, but it would do us all some good to reflect on how Abbi responded in comparison to how others respond. It was the Holy Spirit in Abbi who forgave.
Three years can really change them. That doesn’t mean they can’t change in three years. Hopefully when they get out they will do good..
They will be out in no time……….its their career choice………..evil is as evil does
When criminals are punished for their crimes the crime rate will decrease. Until that time ignorant fools like these will run amok.
I seriously do not think that 3.5 years in prison will do anything for these boys! When they get out of prison, they wont even be 21 years old! I am going to pray hard for these boys! My dads leg and neck are in constant pain! He is possibly facing another surgery! My nieces neck and hip hurt constantly! The doctors are needing to surgery! Seriously! My family gets stuck with a LIFETIME of pain, and these 17 year old boys (who should be charged as adults) gets 3.5 years of free food, shelter and college!!! I do not know what the future holds for them, but knowing their history, it will probably be back on the streets again doing the exact same thing! I pray for the next victims family!
I wish I could put into words just what all God has done for us through this accident. Abbi is doing great! She still has some discomfort, but we are so blessed to still have her and my dad. Please pray for these young men that they will yield their hearts and lives to Christ. Thank you everyone for praying for my sweet girl. We love you all! If anyone would like to send Abbi a message and let her know if the Lord has used this in your life somehow, or just to send well wishes, you can reach us at neesefamily5@gmail.com We would love to hear from you!
I’m with “Disappointed”. Why there were not other charges, I do not understand. Mr Enfinger and his granddaughter were critically injured. They will live with the pain the rest of their life while these three sit and live off the hard work of others. After the break in at the school where they burned what they couldn’t sell they failed to change their way of life. Shooting at the brothers truck— they knew what they were doing and should do a long time in “hard time”. I also wonder if the serial number on the gun was checked to see where it was stolen from.
Yet another prime example of lousy parenting! Parents should be held responsible also for minors actions I think. If my kids did this type of behavior, or any of the other criminal stuff that is so prevalent nowadays…whoa, there would be hell to pay! If I acted this way, my old man would have taken me out…and made another that looked just like me. LOL Nothing you can do about evil seed (at least with our laws).
So, what part of this crime spree is “YOUTHFUL”?
I’d say only the sentencing part, really.
Something tells me this won’t be the last incarceration these guys serve.
You know, I can honestly say that I am praying for these young men!! Their lives may be blimished right now but Got can heal them and place them in the right track. My husband and granddaughter are mending and I know they too would agree, what Satan tried to make horrible, God can and is healing!! They need Jesus…. We all do!!!
When 17 can get you into the military it shouldn’t count for youthful offender. They knew what they were doing. We’ll probably hear about 2 outta 3 of them in the future news.
But no charges for the life altering bodily harm of the victims? Or attempted murder for the burglary victims brother ? How sad is our judicial system. I hope they take this as an eye opener and turn their lives around. They’re fortunate, 3.5 years with gain time is nothing.