Five More COVID-19 Deaths, 160 New Cases Reported In Escambia County
December 23, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST.
On Tuesday, the Florida Department of Health reported five additional COVID-19 deaths and 160 new cases in Escambia County.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 20,438 (+160)
Non-Florida residents: 2,225
Total deaths: 351 (+5)
Long-term care facility deaths : 160 (+1)
Current hospitalizations: 159 (-1)
Number of tests last day: 641
Percent positive last day: 19.4%
Percent positive last week: 13.5%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 14,970 (+125)
Cantonment: 1,721 (+20)
Century: 994
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 258 (+1)
McDavid: 124 (+3)
Walnut Hill: 38 (-1 data adjustment)
Bellview: 29
Perdido Key: 17
Gonzalez: 9
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 9,911 (+130)
Non-Florida residents: 123
Total deaths: 120 (+3)
Long-term care facility deaths: 24
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 509*
Number of tests last day: 272
Percent positive last day: 30.8%
Santa Rosa County cases by location:
Milton: 4,980 (+55)
Navarre: 1,877 (+39)
Gulf Breeze: 1,708 (+24)
Pace: 766 (+3)
Jay: 252 (+2)
Bagdad: 24
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,223,015
Florida residents: 1,202,660
Deaths: 20,754
Hospitalizations: 60,471*
*“Hospitalizations” in the statewide and Santa Rosa County totals is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. Most of these people are longer be hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized. The Escambia County number is current data compiled each day from the local hospitals.
*The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Grady Clark Glover
December 23, 2020
Mr. Grady Clark Glover, age 82, of Jay, FL, passed away on Monday, December 21, 2020 at West Florida Hospital after a brief illness.
Clark was born in Byrneville, FL on March 21, 1938 to Leonard and Ethel Glover. During his working years, he worked as a welder through Local Union #52. He resided in Century Florida before moving to Jay. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers; two sisters, and one son, Keith Glover.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marie Glover of Jay, FL; son, Larry (Robbi) Glover of Jay, FL; four grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, December 23, 2020 at Jay Cemetery at 3 P.M. with Bro. Bobby Carnley officiating.
Pace Man Charged With Raping 15-Year Old At Party Near Jay
December 23, 2020
A Pace teen has been charged with raping a teen girl last year at a party near Jay. The arrest came after a DNA evidence match by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Seth Tyler McDonald, 19, has been charged with first degree sexual assault of a victim between 12 and 18 years old.
In September 2019, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a sexual assault case at the Santa Rosa Medical Center in Milton. The 15-year old female told deputies that she had attended a party in the 6300 block of Old Pollard Road north of Jay. She told deputies she had been drinking vodka and beer, according to an arrest report.
The girl told deputies that she blacked out and later found that her shorts were on backward and her underwear was missing, the report states.
A witness claimed they saw McDonald carrying her out of the woods.
DNA samples were obtained from the victim in September 2019. The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office was able to obtain DNA from McDonald in September 2020, with a match to the crime returned this month from FDLE, according to the report.
Update: Water Service Restored For Central Water Works Customers
December 22, 2020
UPDATE; Water service has been restored for Central Water Works Customers East of Highway 29. The water service was temporarily cut so the utility could make repairs.
The utility said a boil water notice is not necessary because pressure did not fall below acceptable limits.
The area included Mystics Springs Road, Railroad Street, Worley Road, Milstead Road, Main Street, Post Office Street and Gunner Road.
Escambia County Man Killed His Stepson Before Trying To Kill Stepson’s Girlfriend, ECSO Says
December 22, 2020
An Escambia County man is charged with shooting and killing his stepson and attempting to kill the stepson’s girlfriend, according to a newly released arrest report.
James Isiah Blackmon, Jr., 54, was charged with first degree murder for the shooting death of his stepson, 38-year old Christoper Roan, and first degree premeditated attempted murder for attempting to shoot and kill Roan’s girlfriend, according to an arrest report. He was also charged with a felony weapons offense for allegedly shooting into a camper where the stepson’s girlfriend was in hiding. He remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the home on Packwood Drive, just off East Kingsfield Road, to find Blackmon’s wife standing on the front porch of the home and stating that her son was dead and her husband had fled the scene.
Deputies entered the home to find Roan on the floor partially in a hallway with a female witness by his side. He was dead with a gunshot wound to his forehead and multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, according to an ECSO report.
Moments later, deputies were behind Blackmon’s Dodge Charger as it headed back to the scene. Deputies conducted a traffic stop in front of the home and took him into custody without further incident. A Smith and Wesson handgun was on the floorboard of the Charger, deputies said.
Blackmon made statements to deputies, but those statements were redacted from the arrest report.
As they continued their investigation, deputies found several silver-colored shell casings in the backyard near a camper, along with several bullet holes in the camper. They found a a firearm with an empty magazine on the back porch railing, according to the report. The shell casings found near Roan’s body were brass.
Blackmon’s wife told investigator that an ongoing argument between Blackman and stepson Roan escalated .
The wife told deputies that she “got between them again and James just [expletive] pulls the damn trigger and unloads on my son”, according the report, before saying he was going outside to kill the girlfriend.
The girlfriend told investigators that she ran inside the camper, and Blackmon opened fire.
Exclusive photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Three Facing Charges After Alabama High Speed Police Chase That Ended With Wreck In Florida
December 22, 2020
Three people are facing charges after a high speed Alabama police chase ended with a vehicle crash across the state line in Florida last week near Bratt.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office was pursuing the vehicle south on Florida Highway when the driver wrecked, according to Escambia County (AL) Sheriff Heath Jackson. The high speed pursuit started after an Alabama deputy attempted to stop the Hyundai Sonata on Tumbling Lane in the Canoe area.
“The vehicle matched the description of a car that had been used in several burglaries,” Jackson said. “After the deputy activated his lights and sirens, the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed in an attempt to escape law enforcement.”
Vehicle driver Angelia White, 18, was charged with receiving stolen property and one count of fleeing and eluding. Arion Williams, 21, was charged with receiving stolen property. Both were booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton with bond set at $100,000 each.
Deontae Hudson, 25, was transported to the Escambia County (FL) Jail on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. He is awaiting extradition to Alabama to face additional charges.
Jackson said the charges stemmed from numerous burglaries in Escambia County, Alabama, and more charges are expected as the investigation continued.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office, Atmore Police Department, Poarch Police Department and Alabama State Troopers all assisted in the investigation.
The wreck happened when the driver attempted to turn onto Old Bratt Road while being pursued and lost control. The Hyundai Sonata crossed over the centerline into Florida and hit into a power pole before the vehicle came to rest in a field in Florida. (The first photo below shows the scene just moments after the crash.)
The wreck downed Escambia River Electric Cooperative lines across North Highway 99 in Florida.
The road on which the driver lost control sits on the state line. The westbound lane of the roadway is named Old Bratt Road and is considered to be in Alabama, while the eastbound lane is considered to be in Florida and is named State Line Road.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely For Wednesday Night
December 22, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.
Wednesday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 68. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after midnight. Low around 53. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before noon. High near 59. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming north in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Christmas Day: Sunny, with a high near 42. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 56.
Former Century Council Member Gary Riley Has Passed Away. He Served For 20 Years.
December 22, 2020
Former Century council member Gary Riley has passed away.
Riley was a man that loved Century and he spent two decades of his life on the town council working to make it a better place.
He announced in 2018 that he would not see re-election due to a health issue. He remained in office until January 2019.
“I want to thank the town for having me here for as long as I have been. I enjoyed every day,” a tearful Riley said in 2018.
“But when you get to the point where you can’t do the job the way the job is suppose to be done, I think it is time to leave. We pray that whoever qualifies for the seat will do the job well,” he said. “You have a good council here right now. I hope that ones that come in and join the ones that are here will help make this town a better town.”
Riley was first elected to the Century Town Council in 1998.
Complete funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
Pictured: A tearful Gary Riley announced in May 2018 that he would not seek re-election after serving 20 years on the Century Town Council. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Injured When SUV Driver Crashes Near Head-On Into Septic Truck
December 22, 2020
Two people were injured when a SUV crashed into a septic tank pump truck Monday on Pine Forest Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 34-year male drive of a SUV was traveling south on Pine Forest Road approaching Graham Road when he veered into the northbound lane. He crashed nearly head-on into a septic truck driven by a 62-year old man from Pensacola.
The SUV driver was listed in critical condition by the FHP. The truck driver had to be cut from the tanker by firefighters; he was transported to an area hospital in serious condition.
No names were released. The crash closed Pine Forest Road for the FHP investigation.
Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sacred Heart Administers First COVID-19 Vaccinations To Frontline Workers
December 22, 2020
Ascension Sacred Heart began administering the COVID-19 vaccine to its frontline caregivers on Monday.
Among the first recipients was Dr. Mark Grise (pictured above), an Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart cardiologist.
Dawn Rudolph, president of Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, said: “Caregivers continue to lead by example, and I encourage everyone in the communities we serve to get vaccinated when it’s made available to them, It’s important that we do everything possible to demonstrate that the approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and work to ensure all people ultimately have access to them.”
In accordance with federal, state and local guidance, frontline caregivers are among the first groups eligible to receive the vaccines.
The vaccinations are not yet available to the general public.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
