Man Dead After Pensacola Police Officer-Involved Shooting In Cantonment
June 28, 2023
An officer-involved shooting is under investigation in Cantonment.
The shooting occurred about 3 p.m. on Durant Lane near South Highway 97, just north of West Kingsfield Road.
The officer involved was from the Pensacola Police Police Department. The officer was investigating a hit and run accident about 2:30 p.m. at Ninth Avenue and Wright Street in the city. The PPD officer went to Durant Lane as part of that investigation, according to PPD.
When the officer made contact with the man in the home’s driveway, they exchanged words. Pensacola Police said that escalated into a physical altercation before the man was shot by the officer. The man was pronounced deceased in or near the driveway in front of the home.
The officer was injured, but there’s no word on the extent of his injuries.
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The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said deputies assisted at the scene following the shooting but were not involved.
As is standard procedure in officer involved shootings, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.
This story will be updated as more details become available.
NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Man Sentenced To 25 Years For Attempted Murder Of His Wife
June 28, 2023
A Byrneville man has been sentenced to 25 years in station prison for shooting his wife last year.
Joseph Anthony Franklin, 61, entered a no contest plea before being sentenced by Judge Linda Nobles.
“The defendant’s actions that day were cold, callous, and depraved. He showed no remorse for the victim he had just shot. A lengthy prison sentence is absolutely warranted,” prosecuting attorney Christopher Patter argued at the sentencing hearing.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the couple’s home on McBride Road just off Byrneville Road on October 25, 2022. Deputies arrived to find Franklin sitting on the front porch smoking a cigarette, wearing a tan t-shirt and shorts. A female was lying at his feet on the porch floor with a gunshot wound to her chest, according to the report.
The victim, later identified by the ECSO as Franklin’s wife, stated she found Franklin sitting on the couch that morning, but that led to an argument because he was supposed to be at work. During the argument, he pulled out a gun and started shooting it, according to the report. The victim told deputies that she tried to get the gun away from Franklin, and that is when he shot her.
Two other people were asleep upstairs in the home at the time but did not hear anything, deputies said.
The victim was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital and survived.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Grateful To God: Deputy Swept Under Highway By Floodwaters Recounts His Story
June 28, 2023
An Escambia County deputy is thanking God for saving him after he was swept under a highway by raging floodwaters on June 16.
As torrential rain fell, Deputy William Hollingsworth was on patrol along Highway 98 where there was a lot of flooding and stranded vehicles. Deputies were stopping to check on motorists, going car to car to make sure no one was in danger.
He found a woman inside a vehicle with an open passenger door; she said her male passenger got out.
That man was Davis Boss. He was helping another person with their nearby submerged vehicle.
“I went over to kind of shout and talk to him from across the road because the water was between us,” Hollingworth said. “I wondered if he could make his way to me, and we kind of started going towards each other, and then he was wading.
“Then he started swimming, and then he just disappeared under the surface. I went to where I saw him go under, and I jumped in. And that’s when I found out why he disappeared so quickly under the surface. The suction on the drain culvert was very strong and grabbed me by the legs and pulled me in.
“At first I thought, I’m in trouble, this is pretty bad. I kept the presence of mind to not try to stop myself, not that I could anyway just because of how fast the water was going I just kind of let it take me. And just hope and pray that it’s going to spit me out somewhere where there was some air. I just just tried to remain calm and hold my breath.”
In reality, Hollingsworth was underwater for about 30 seconds as he traveled about 100 feet under Highway 98. But it seemed more like an eternity.
“It did not not feel good being in the dark, underwater, underground.”
Hollingsworth emerged to see David a short distance away. Neither was injured.
“We were both shaken up definitively, but very grateful that God saw us through that. I’m always grateful to God for the things that he has given me, particularly a wonderful family that I get to see again. I was just extra thankful for my life that night.”
Hollingsworth has not yet watched the whole video all the way through, calling it “surreal”.
“I am just thankful that we both made it out okay. That fact that David was out there helping somebody else whenever I saw him – I think that says a lot about Escambia County residents. They are willing to help each other out whatever calamities happen.
“Two strangers willing to get out in the elements and help each other.”
The bodycam video is available on the NorthEscambia.com Facebook page.
Dangerous Heat Continues Today
June 28, 2023
Dangerous heat will continue over the next several days. Another heat advisory is in effect with heat index values (the “feels like” temperature) expected to range from 107 to 112 degrees on Wednesday and increase to 115 degrees by Thursday.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values of 107 or higher. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. West wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Heat index values as high as 109. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 76. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 96.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Chance of precipitation is 60%
Man Charged With Battery Of His Ex-Girlfriend
June 28, 2023
A Century man is accused of battery against his ex-girlfriend.
Jeremy Clint Hatfield, 32, was charged with felony domestic battery by strangulation.
Hatfield pushed the victim after they got into an argument over money before grabbing her by the neck and choking her, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report. The victim told deputies that she scratched Hatfield before hitting him with pan on his left arm.
Hatfield remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday morning with bond set $7,500 on the battery charge, but jail records indicated he was also wanted in Escambia County, Alabama.
Tate High Student Named Escambia County’s Sunshine State Scholar
June 28, 2023
Synoma Perea, an incoming senior at Tate High School, was named the Sunshine State Scholar for Escambia County. This honor is in recognition of outstanding achievement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Perea plans to major in mechanical engineering in college. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century, Flomaton Split Cost For Paving ‘Alley 5′ On The State Line
June 28, 2023
Century and Flomaton split the cost for the recent paving of a dirt road named Alley 5.
Alley 5 runs east off Old Flomaton Road at the state line. Part of the road is in Florida, and part is in Alabama.
Flomaton surfaced the roadway as several other streets were paved in that town. Century’s share of the paving cost was $35,369.55.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
The red line depicts the state line along Alley 5. NorthEscambia.com graphic, click to enlarge.
Molino 5U Wins Gospel Projects T-ball Tournament; NEP Takes Runner-Up
June 28, 2023
Molino 5U won the Gospel Projects T-ball World Series tournament Tuesday. NEP Gold claimed the tournament runner-up spot. Pictured: Molino 5U above, NEP Gold below. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NEP 7U, 8U And 15U Baseball Take First In Gulf Coast Rec Classic, 10U Second
June 28, 2023
Three NEP teams finished on top at the recent Gulf Coast Recreation Classic. NEP 7U baseball, NEP 8U baseball, and NEP 15U Baseball took first, while NEP 10U took second placed in the Gulf Coast Recreation Classic. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Third Atmore Man Charged In Wallace Lake Road Murder In Pace
June 27, 2023
A third Atmore man was arrested Tuesday for a fatal shooting June 19 in Pace.
Joseph Liebe, 24, was in the area of Wallace Lake Road off Quintette Road and was shot while driving away. His vehicle crashed into a nearby wooded area.
The third and final suspect, 20-year old Ty’jerrious Keon Malone of Atmore, was arrested for first degree murder Tuesday afternoon. He remains in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center awaiting extradition to Santa Rosa County.
Last week, Ja’cobey Quartise James, 20, was charged with first degree murder, and Marcus Terel Dickinson, 29, was charged with second degree murder. Both have been extradited to Florida and are in the Santa Rosa County Jail without bond.
Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said last Thursday that a definite motive is not known, but investigators believe it was a robbery. Johnson said there was no evidence of any drug activity, but it is believed the suspects had some sort of contact with Liebe earlier in the day and knew he might have been carrying money.
Shortly after the murder, deputies received a basic description of the suspect vehicle as a maroon Tahoe. That vehicle was later traced to Atmore, where search warrants were served on the vehicle and at the residences of James and Dickinson.
Johnson said that social media rumors that this was some sort of gang activity are not true.
“There is no gang activity,” the sheriff said. “We don’t have any evidence to link this to gang activity.”