Two Arrested In Cottage Hill Shots Fired, Cutting And Robbery Incident

June 22, 2018

Two people have been charged after a woman was assaulted Thursday afternoon in Cottage Hill.

Deputies received a shots fired call at 5:05 p.m. on Handy Lane off Williams Ditch Road. They found a woman with what appears to have be a non-life threatening knife wound to her calf. The woman was transported by Escambia County EMS to an area hospital.

Jerry Kenneth Taber, 34, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, using or displaying a firearm during a felony, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, child neglect without great bodily harm and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Due to outstanding warrants, Taber is being held without bond for the U.S. Marshals, according to jail records.

Elizabeth Ashley White, 29, was charged with robbery with a firearm, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon,  using or displaying a firearm during a felony, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, battery and petit theft. She was also arrested on outstanding warrants for passing a forged instrument and a probation violation. She remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.

The victim told deputies that Taber told her to come to his location on Handy Drive to get belongings that she had left at the residence. When the victim arrived with a male friend, Taber snatched her from the driver’s seat of her pickup and dragged her by her hair to the backyard where White stomped on her stomach, according to an arrest report.

In an attempt to fight back, the victim started to kick Taber who then cut her on the back of her leg with a knife, the report states. The friend began to scream. and he was pulled to the backyard and heard a gun that he did not immediately see being fired. The victim then saw White holding a .38 special pistol recognized as belonging to Taber. Taber hit one of the victims in the head with the revolver, deputies said in their report.

White allegedly took the male victim’s cell phone during the incident.

A neighbor told deputies that they heard a gunshot and heard a female scream, “They are trying to kill me me, they stabbed me and want to shoot me.”

Taber and White were apprehended nearby in a vehicle at McKenzie Street and Ezell Drive. A deputy reported that he located a knife in sheath on Taber’s belt, and there was a firearm case in the passenger seat with no firearm. The revolver was then located to the front of the center console of the vehicle. Two baseball size plastic bags of methamphetamine were also recovered from the vehicle, according to the report.

A child was in the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop.

Taber was previously convicted of felony armed burglary; White has a felony conviction for burglary.

NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.

NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.

Comments

22 Responses to “Two Arrested In Cottage Hill Shots Fired, Cutting And Robbery Incident”

  1. Telling it is what it is on June 27th, 2018 12:42 am

    No drug caused that so instead of people who don’t have near that type of behavior getting life in prison ,,,what will our HARSH JUSTICE IN AMERICA DO TO THEM ,. DLAP ON THE WRIST CAUSE THEY WERE ON DRUGS !!!!

  2. Telling it what it is on June 27th, 2018 12:38 am

    I been a addict my whole life 36 years and NOT ONCE have nor will I do something like those sicks people have done ,,,sad …

  3. David Huie Green on June 24th, 2018 6:25 pm

    Everybody’s right. Meth doesn’t force you to take it, but once you decide to do so, it is a factor in whatever you do afterward. The more common dangerous drug is ethanol in its various forms. It kills more people but folks are used to those deaths.

    David for better brains

  4. Betty on June 23rd, 2018 12:50 pm

    Poor child involved….

  5. Harold on June 23rd, 2018 7:13 am

    I live Molino but attend church in Cottage Hill. At the time of this happening we were having Bible School for about 100 kids. We went into lock-down for the kids not knowing what was going on. Soon we got an all clear and Bible school continued and God blessed us with another great day. The people of Cottage hill are some of the best people you will find anywhere. Come visit us and see for yourself at Cottage Hill Baptist.

  6. Nofoot on June 23rd, 2018 7:01 am

    I live in Molino but attend church in cottage hill. When this happened we were having Bible School for about 100 kids, The church went into lock-down . Soon we were told everything was clear. Bible school went on as planed . I have attended Cottage Hill baptist for over 30 years and you will not find any better people anywhere. I love our church. Come and meet some of these great people.

  7. Cottage Hill Resident on June 23rd, 2018 6:57 am

    Cottage Hill Watch Meeting held every Monday at 6:30 PM
    in fellowship hall of First Baptist Church of Cottage Hill
    located on Williams Ditch Rd.
    GET INFORMED-GET INVOLVED-COME TOGETHER-MAKE A DIFFERENCE

  8. Person on June 22nd, 2018 9:29 pm

    Daaaaamg that’s a lot of meth….

    That poor child involved :(

  9. Jim on June 22nd, 2018 7:58 pm

    @ Stumpknocker ~ Did you not read about “two baseball sized bags of methamphetamine” found in the car? Of course meth played a part in all of this, and their criminal history.

  10. MW on June 22nd, 2018 7:16 pm

    Meth is definitely has a lot to do with some of the crime in the Cantonment and Molino areas. It’s everywhere these days. So sad.

  11. Charlotte on June 22nd, 2018 6:21 pm

    Stumpknocker, I have called the police. They tell me to call animal control. We don’t have a leash law out here, unless the dog is causing a dangerous situation to people or vehicles, then they will do something. Well, how many times do I have to call? I guess when a child gets mauled, or an adult gets mauled, maybe just maybe something will be done. I see dogs roaming around here all the time. No leash law, however, these particular dogs don’t bother anyone or anything. I’m cool with that. but when I’m working on my fence and all three come rushing out at me barring teeth, it’s time something is done. I’ve seen them rushing out to kids that are on their bikes. I keep my BB gun with me, and managed to get them to go back into the yard. I don’t know what to do anymore. Animal control wants me to down load a document that I have to pay for to down load, I have to have video or pictures, time of day, date, etc. It’s hard to do that, since they don’t do this all the time, so when they do rush out, by the time I get my phone out to video or take a picture, they run back in. I don’t get it.

  12. Pat on June 22nd, 2018 4:48 pm

    @Stumpknocker- Take one look at 29 year old White and then tell me that meth had nothing to do with it. Meth breeds violent behavior, it’s the nature of the beast.

  13. Really on June 22nd, 2018 4:36 pm

    @ Howie
    The beginning of neighborhood decline is when no one wants to get involved .They don’t bother to know the neighbors and want to remain anonymous when reporting crimes and of course don’t want to get “involved”. Thugs thrive in neighborhoods where people are afraid . It’s time for the hardworking people to step up and step out. Let those thugs know that you see them and let people see you talking to the cops. Be a thorn in their side and they will move along … they don’t like a lot of police presence. The neighborhood belongs to the people who live there…take it back!

  14. Howie on June 22nd, 2018 2:21 pm

    Too much crime going on in the Cantonment/Cottage Hill area lately. From meth heads, to pit bulls, to rooster fighting, people fighting, home invasion, store robberies, man shot while answering door. I’ve almost mentioned every possible thing that can happen. Residents keep your eyes and ears open. Don’t be afraid to report anything unusual. Ask the Sheriff’s Dept. that you want to remain anonymous. When they ask if you want a Deputy to follow up with you afterwards > NO ! Stay out of it and don’t get yourself involved any further.

    Extra Note: There are vehicles following UPS trucks in Cantonment. Later someone comes back and steals your package. Happened to my neighbor on Hwy97 just N. of Kingsfield Road.

    Just saying – Be safe out in this cruel violent world.

  15. Stumpknocker on June 22nd, 2018 1:54 pm

    @Charlotte as far as that dog problem, those dogs would only charge my family one time and one time only, then I’d be making a call to the ECSO to make a report about an expired dog or dogs on my lawn, I will never sacrifice my families safety nor leave it up to anyone else or an agency to protect them, that’s my job.

  16. Stumpknocker on June 22nd, 2018 1:46 pm

    @AJ, I read similar comments like yours on here all the time, meth has nothing to do with it, it’s people making bad choices in their life that has everything to do with it. The string of victims that we only here of that people like this leave in their wake is senceless. You can have a bag of meth and never touch it and it will have no effect on a person or their family and love ones, it’s all about choices we make.

  17. AC on June 22nd, 2018 1:36 pm

    “Two baseball size plastic bags of methamphetamine were also recovered…”

    Didn’t see that one coming. Whoda thunk there would be meth involved??!*

    (* sarcasm)

  18. Duke of Wawbeek on June 22nd, 2018 1:16 pm

    Taber and White, now there are two characters on the road to doom.

  19. countrylife on June 22nd, 2018 1:02 pm

    Cottage Hill is great, I’ve been living there for over 30 years myself. Rarely, there’s this kind of trash that needs to be dumped. Great job ECSO for taking out the garbage. Get out, and Don’t come back!

  20. AJ on June 22nd, 2018 12:57 pm

    That’s what meth will do to you.

  21. Charlotte on June 22nd, 2018 11:03 am

    I have lived on Handy Rd. since 1995. Pretty good neighborhood, and most of the neighbor’s are great. You do have your few you would like to see move away, like the one with three Pit Bull dogs that won’t stay in their yard and charge children, myself, included, fence fight my dogs, so forth and so on. Animal control has been called four times, but nothing gets done. Anyway, like Teresa said, YOU GOT TO GO.

  22. Teresa W on June 21st, 2018 10:04 pm

    I have lived on Handy Road for 40 years. Good neighbors all around. No room for BAD GUYS. You got to go.