Body Found In Nine Mile Road Ditch

September 22, 2018

A body believed to be that of a homeless man was discovered Friday night in a ditch in front of the Winn Dixie parking lot in the 300 block of Nine Mile Road.

It appeared that the adult male died of natural causes, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

The ECSO is continuing their investigation. The man’s name has not been released.

Pictured: A body was found in a Nine Mile Road ditch Friday night. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

27 Responses to “Body Found In Nine Mile Road Ditch”

  1. David Huie Green on September 26th, 2018 10:59 pm

    CONTEMPLATING:
    “Compassion is a me thing not a you thing.”

    A fascinating philosophy.

    David for others, not just me

  2. AAK on September 24th, 2018 8:44 am

    I commend all who want to help these individuals who actually need it. I do want to point out that a few state they don’t care what they do with the money but if that is the case why don’t you hand out food instead? Keep a goodie bag with pop top food and give that. If you don’t care what they do with the money would you care if they got falling down high and then died due to falling in a ditch filled with water? What if they ended up overdosing? Sometimes its about making yourself feel like you made a difference and that’s ok because we do need that to happen. I would suggest volunteering at the Waterfront Mission or some other organization to positively impact a broader base. But I say thank you for your caring heart. May God Bless

  3. Tabby on September 23rd, 2018 5:00 pm

    @Ekg—Just want to say thank you for being a decent human being in a world full of selfish, greedy, arrogant fools.
    I give money all the time to people on the corners. My motivation is from the heart. I don’t care what they do with the money. That’s on them. If you’re concerned about what their going to do with the money beforehand, then your motives aren’t pure anyway.

  4. Ekg on September 23rd, 2018 10:00 am

    That is a sad incident. I have seen hundreds of homeless at different times around this area….some of them stand by the roadside asking for money help….which I most often give and do not regret it whether it is an honest need for help or a trickery or money for alcohol……I have often seen a certain person lying under a certain bridge overpass. The first time I stopped to check and found out he was just sleeping there…Another time I found a very old man with a hugely swollen leg sitting by a grocery store wearing torn and dirty clothing…..I bought some clothing at Dollar General and took it to him…He refused to take it…There are a lot who need help, and some who won’t take help, but I continue to offer it anyway. I’ve never found one who has passed on and hope I never do.

  5. Good Samaritan on September 23rd, 2018 9:01 am

    Problem with the world today, on this issue and many others, is that we do not go into the scriptures of the Bible and look at what the Good Samaritan did to help his fellow man. Enough said.

  6. Grandma on September 22nd, 2018 11:09 pm

    There is a homeless ministry nearby at First Baptist of Ensley. Maybe they might know who he was, if there was no ID. Maybe he had come by for food, a hot shower and clothing. I have volunteered there, cutting hair, on occasion. They are people with stories to tell, but all have hearts that appreciate compassion.

  7. Traumaqueen on September 22nd, 2018 6:57 pm

    My desire to help others is not dictated by whether someone appreciates my efforts or not. Compassion is wanting to help others and isn’t defined by what others think. Compassion is a me thing not a you thing. I do not know this person nor how they died but I can’t fathom that they wanted to die alone, in a ditch, on the side of a busy road side.

    In my line of work I often do things people don’t want me to do,sometimes with drugs and restraints as they are hitting and kicking me,spitting on me and cursing me, because it is what is best for them even if they don’t know it. I have some cancer patients that are at the end of their lives who are begging me to help them die because they are in excruciating pain, a sweet old grandmother with Alzheimer’s patients who think they know what they need as they are biting and kicking me, drug addicts out of their minds on a bad trip,a drunk who punches me in the face, a diabetic who doesn’t know their name,much less what they need or want,because they have low blood sugar or a trauma pt with a head bleed, who is cursing and spitting on me. Do these people deserve any less compassion because they don’t want my help? Do they deserve less or more than a homeless man dying in a ditch?

    Again I am compassionate because that is who I am and not because that is what people think I should or shouldn’t be.

  8. David Huie Green on September 22nd, 2018 4:02 pm

    REGARDING:
    ” they all deserve our compassion even if they aren’t grateful for our efforts.”

    Do we really show compassion by doing things to them they do not desire, forcing others to do what we KNOW is best for them? Our efforts can cause great suffering.

    David for real compassion

  9. lone chief on September 22nd, 2018 3:04 pm

    Wow, “Dude” is getting a lot of flack here. However nowadays we are programmed to be fearful and distrustful (thats how “they” want us to be). I see the problem as NOT going old-school on thug predatory punks. I myself have been victimized by “helping out”, I understand that point of view, BUT, that won’t stop me from trying to help someone albeit I will be wary (and probably armed).

  10. Shay on September 22nd, 2018 2:58 pm

    @nod

    If you’d read the comments on this post then you’d know that more people care than don’t. BTW it’s quiet, not quite.

  11. Traumaqueen on September 22nd, 2018 1:04 pm

    I disagree. There is never a good reason not to stop and check on a fellow human being. Regardless of whether the person is homeless, a drug addict, missing Alzheimer’s pt,etc they all deserve our compassion even if they aren’t grateful for our efforts. We never know what the future holds for us and we(you and/or I) could be in a similiar situation. Being a compassionate person, I want to believe that someone would care enough about me that if I was laying in a ditch dying they’d call 911.

    The poster said the deceased seemed “unresponsive”. At what point did he go from unresponsive to dead and could death have been thwarted if they’d just called 911?

    I’ve worked a number of years in EMS and have run a lot of calls for “unresponsive” persons. Not all the persons I woke up appreciated the gesture. Never did I think oh well let’s leave them laying in a ditch. As I’ve said I have and do stop because I don’t want that on my conscience. It only takes a few minutes to check on them and be on my way. Seeing all the comments in regards to “dude’s” comment makes me think maybe there is hope for us yet.

    My daddy always said, ‘ but for the grace of God go I”
    He was a pretty smart man and I miss him every day

  12. nod on September 22nd, 2018 12:25 pm

    back off on dude, you do not know the circumstances. if you are helping all the homeless people then you can say what you want. if not just be quite about it. all you are quick to jump on dude but do you really care.
    ?

  13. In Defense of Dude on September 22nd, 2018 12:13 pm

    I have worked at a homeless shelter. They sleep in the ditches and don’t like to be disturbed when they are sleeping no more than anyone else does. At just a glance while visiting a local business there would be no reason to get out of a vehicle and check on him. Rest In Peace his sweet soul…he no longer has to worry about food or shelter.

  14. Suzie B. on September 22nd, 2018 11:40 am

    Thank you Traumaqueen for that. We have called before on unsure situations and always hoped we were doing the right thing. Sometimes the Sheriff that shows up seems aggravated but we still make the call. My husband, who has self protection, will try to arouse them verbally at first just to check. If they seem ok or say they don’t need help, we let them be. We saw where this was occurring. Very sad. May this person finally rest in peace.

  15. Shay on September 22nd, 2018 11:38 am

    “dude” didn’t say ems WERE on scene either. Js

  16. Kayla on September 22nd, 2018 11:24 am

    Poor guy. What a sad way to die, all alone in a ditch. Heartbreaking. May he rest in peace.

  17. anne 1of2 on September 22nd, 2018 10:39 am

    I saw a man lying in front of a church sign in Feb. Women do not walk up to a man to ask if he is OK, can’t be that crazy. I called for help and the guy on the phone asked if he was breathing. I told him didn’t know and he’d better send help. Turned out the man was trying to get some warmth from the floodlights in front of the church sign. It is good to help but I am no nurse nor EMT.

  18. bill on September 22nd, 2018 10:36 am

    what has happen to comon sense are people to selfish and stuck up to help your fellow man or is it just that some people are just that STUPID . thats whats wrong with people today all for me and to hell with you . good luck with that karma is next !!!!!!

  19. Reading Comprehension on September 22nd, 2018 10:22 am

    “Dude” says he saw the person looking unresponsive in the ditch….but he does NOT say that emergency services were not already there.

  20. Pita on September 22nd, 2018 10:21 am

    I work close by and there is quit a few homeless peiple that comes in with what little maoney they are able to come across to get a cheap crackers or something to put in their bellies and most are very nice so when you say you seen someone in a ditch that looked homeless and unresponsive that tells me what kind of person you really are little stuck up that thinks they are better I can’t stand people like that we all cane in this world the same and we all will die the same we all bleed the same and we all breathe the same air SMDH what happened to this world?

  21. Really on September 22nd, 2018 10:14 am

    @Dude
    What in the world!? You saw someone laying in a ditch looking unresponsive and you went on and got your freakin coffee or doughnuts? What a sick, sad individual. Who doesn’t stop to check on people? Call authorities? ANYTHING? What the heck is wrong with people these days… I hope your conscience eats you alive. Pathetic.

  22. Traumaqueen on September 22nd, 2018 9:47 am

    Wow! Just wow. So you saw a man laying in the ditch and he looked “unresponsive”. Not sleeping and you didn’t dial 911?

    As a paramedic I run on a lot of people who look unconscious, not “unresponsive”, in ditches and vehicles. They are usually just sleeping but people call 911 to get them help and I respond and go wake them up. I know. I get paid to respond. Secret is.. I would and do stop on my off duty time.

    This is what is wrong with the world today. People stopped caring about other people. We’ve gotten wrapped up in our own little world that we have become numb to those in need.

    ust another day in Paradise I guess. I know. I know. I need Jesus

  23. AnneMarie Ansel on September 22nd, 2018 9:01 am

    RIP john doe. May you be in a better place.

  24. Holly on September 22nd, 2018 7:24 am

    @ Dude.. did you call the cops or an ambulance?? I mean it’s not normal to see..

  25. Sad on September 22nd, 2018 4:01 am

    Way to go, dont stop to check on anyone. I can’t believe you would see someone laying in a ditch and say oh well not my concen.

  26. Curious on September 22nd, 2018 2:53 am

    I don’t know about anyone else, but if I see a body laying in a ditch I’d call authorities. Common sense nowadays must be rare. I just hope it’s not the gentleman I’ve come to know working near by.

  27. Dude on September 22nd, 2018 2:21 am

    Me and my husband was pulling into Duncan doughnuts and we both saw the person laying in the ditch I don’t know what went on but they looked un responsive, but I guess now I know