FHP Explains Improper Turns And Passing Following Molino Crash
July 2, 2024
A semi-truck driver making a turn from Highway 97 was cited after a pickup truck attempting to pass him struck the truck Monday in Molino.’
Many NorthEscambia.com readers questioned how the semi driver could be at fault, so we reached out to the Florida Highway Patrol for more details on how the law works.
But fist, a recap of what FHP says happened Monday:
The crash happened about 11:40 a.m. on Highway 97 at Gibson Road. The Florida Highway Patrol said the northbound semi attempted to make a left-hand turn onto Gibson Road. The pickup driver, also northbound, “initiated a pass in a lawful passing zone”, FHP said.
The semi turned in front of the pickup causing the front of the pickup to collide with the left side of the cab of the semi. The pickup truck left the roadway and crashed into a wooded area at the intersection, while the truck came to rest in the opposite ditch after striking a utility pole.
The 76-year-old male driver and 66-year-old passenger of the pickup were transported to West Florida Hospital by Escambia County EMS. The semi driver, a 62-year-old from Alabama, was not injured.
FHP said the driver of the semi was cited for an improper left turn.
FHP Explains Florida law:
“A turn signal is a request, not a demand, and you have to ensure a clear path of travel to your left, right, front, and rear before executing any turn or lane change,” Lt. Jason King said.
“The biggest thing is a blinker is a request to take an action and changing direction. not a demand, and if someone is committed to passing, they legally occupy the lane first,” he said. “When you begin a turn you violate their right of way”.
King said FHP often issues a citation for an improper turn in this type of situation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Hurricane Beryl Becomes Earliest Category 5 On Record
July 2, 2024
Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record Monday night as it moved through the southeastern Caribbean, according to the National Weather Service.
The monster storm is forecast to move southeastern and central Caribbean Sea Tuesday and pass near Jamaica on Wednesday.
The hurricane center forecasts that Beryl will weaken after reaching Jamaica but remain a hurricane.
Beryl will possibly bring increased swells and rip currents to the northern Gulf Coast by the weekend, but no other serious North Escambia area impacts are expected.
The latest information on Beryl is in the graphics from the National Hurricane Center on this page.
Another Heat Advisory For Tuesday, Slight Chance Of Rain
July 2, 2024
A heat advisory is in effect for Tuesday with heat index values up to 111 degrees expected.
Tuesday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 111. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 7pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Independence Day: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Purr In The Park: Cat Night As The Wahoos Open Series With Win Over Biscuits
July 2, 2024
written by Bill Vilona
Six innings into the night, the Blue Wahoos were heading down a familiar path of frustration against the Montgomery Biscuits.
This was the first “Purr In The Park” night in team history with fans allowed to bring their cats. But heat and humidity limited the number of pets.
Paul McIntosh changed that fate with one big swing.
His two-run, game-tying homer in the seventh inning became a much-needed emotional lift, followed by another break that led to a 3-2 win against the Biscuits in the only Monday game of the season for the Blue Wahoos. It made for a desired start to the Fourth of July week for the Blue Wahoos against their league divisional rivals.
“Yeah, it was awesome,” McIntosh said. “We hung around and we capitalized on it.”
McIntosh pounced on a first-pitch fastball from Biscuits reliever Patrick Wicklander and sent the ball over the left-center wall to ignite a crowd of 3,535, as well as the home team dugout.
Joe Mack led off the seventh inning by working a walk from Wicklander. Up stepped McIntosh with a clear mindset.
“I was just waiting for a fastball over the plate and I made sure not to miss it.” McIntosh said. “Going into that [at-bat], I had seen [Wicklander] a bunch, and he’s had success against me and I just wanted to make sure I got up there and saw a good pitch and made a good swing on it.”
He did. And it connected.
The Biscuits had won nine of these previous 12 meetings, all in Montgomery. It was the difference in the Biscuits edging out the Blue Wahoos for the South Division first half win and post-season playoff berth.
But in their stadium Monday, the Blue Wahoos received the usual array of strong pitching to stay within striking distance.
After McIntosh tied the game, the Blue Wahoos got the go-ahead run in the eighth without putting the ball in play.
Jakob Marsee reached on a one-out walk against reliever Keyshawn Askew. He then scored on three wild pitches with the Blue Wahoos’ Jacob Berry at the plate.
The third wild pitch came on a three-ball count, causing Marsee to race home while Berry went to first.
Blue Wahoos reliever Raffi Vizcaíno then closed out the game by retiring the Biscuits in order to get his eighth save. He was preceded by Dale Stanavich, who entered in the seven when Zach McCambley suffered an injury.
With rapid warmup and a 3-2 count, Stanavich struck out the Biscuits’ Matthew Dyer, who drove in the game’s first run in the third inning. Stanavich (2-0) then retired four of the next five batters he faced to earn his second win.
Blue Wahoos starter Adam Laskey worked five innings, allowing just four hits and striking out five.
The Blue Wahoos had just two hits until McIntosh’s blast, but the game stayed close.
“This is a special pitching staff,” McIntosh said. “I’ve had the liberty of having really special pitching staff last couple years in Pensacola, but man these guys keep us in games.”
The three-game home series will continue Tuesday and Wednesday before the Blue Wahoos then head to Montgomery for games Thursday through Saturday.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs. Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Tuesday, 6:05 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
Semi Truck Driver Cited After Molino Highway 97 Crash That Injured Two
July 1, 2024
A semi-truck driver was cited by troopers after a crash with a pickup truck midday Monday in Molino.
The crash happened about 11:40 a.m. on Highway 97 at Gibson Road. The Florida Highway Patrol said the northbound semi h attempted to make a left-hand turn onto Gibson Road. The pickup driver, also northbound, “initiated a pass in a lawful passing zone”, FHP said.
The semi turned in front of the pickup causing the front of the pickup to collide with the left side of the cab of the semi. The pickup truck left the roadway and crashed into a wooded area at the intersection, while the truck came to rest in the opposite ditch after striking a utility pole.
The oversize load semi-truck was hauling building trusses.
The 76-year-old male driver and 66-year-old passenger of the pickup were transported to West Florida Hospital by Escambia County EMS. The semi driver, a 62-year-old from Alabama, was not injured.
FHP said the driver of the semi was cited for an improper left turn.
The McDavid, Molino and Cantonment stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the wreck, The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Felony Suspect In Custody After Standoff On Highway 97
July 1, 2024
A felony suspect was taken into custody just after 8 p.m. Sunday after an hours-long standoff with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in Walnut Hill.
John Edward McDowell, 48, was taken into custody after the four to five hour standoff. He eventually exited the home and was arrested without incident on Alabama warrants, including violation of probation and two warrants for failure to appear. He was booked into the Escambia County (FL) Jail in Pensacola to await extradition back to Alabama and charged with interfering with the custody of a minor..
The ECSO said they received a tip that the man was at a residence on Highway 97 north of Wiggins Lake Road. Deputies responded to serve the warrant, but the ECSO said he refused to exit the home.
Deputies said they knocked and announced their presence on a public address system, but he never responded.
Dozens of ECSO units responded, along with their SWAT team and negotiators. A spokesperson said no shots were fired during the standoff.
During the incident, the sheriff’s office closed Highway 97 and detoured traffic onto Highway 99A (at Ernest Ward Middle School) to the south of the scene and Highway 164 to the north.
Heat Advisory For Monday, Heat Index Up To 111 Degrees
July 1, 2024
A heat advisory is in effect for Monday with heat index values up to 111 degrees expected.
Here is your official North Escambia forecast:
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 111. North wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 108. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Independence Day: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 93.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 75.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 93.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Escambia Sex Offender Sentenced To Federal Prison For New Child Porn Offenses
July 1, 2024
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to online receipt of child pornography.
Donovan Eugene Whidden, 21, was sentenced this week.
In September 2023, authorities received cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that led back to Whidden’s residence. Law enforcement was aware that Whidden was on state court probation for a conviction for Promoting Sexual performance by a child in 2022. A search warrant was obtained for his residence, and law enforcement located evidence of Whidden utilizing the media platform Discord to upload and obtain child pornography. Whidden also used a cloud storage platform to maintain his child pornography.
“Protecting innocent children from sexual predators remains one of our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody. “I commend our law enforcement partners and prosecutors who work tirelessly to identify these predators and bring them to justice so that they may never exploit a child again. Due to their collective efforts, our community is safer, and this repeat offender is exactly where he belongs – behind bars.”
Whidden’s prison sentence will be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.
Hurricane Beryl Becomes First Category 4 Ever In June
July 1, 2024
THIS STORY IS OUT OF DATE. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST INFO.
Hurricane Beryl has strengthened into an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm as it barreled toward the southeast Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center. Beryl is the fist ever category 4 storm in June.
Its center is expected to move across the Windward Islands Monday, bringing destructive winds and life-threatening storm surge.
Beryl will possibly bring increased swells and rip currents to the northern Gulf Coast by the weekend, but no other serious North Escambia area impacts.
The latest information on Beryl is in the graphics from the National Hurricane Center on this page.
4th of July Gas Prices Likely To Be Higher Than Last Year, AAA Says
July 1, 2024
Florida gas prices jumped nine cents last week. The state average then reversed course, declining seven cents per gallon through the weekend, AAA said.
Sunday’s state average was $3.38 per gallon. That’s 12 cents per gallon more than what holiday travelers paid on Independence Day in 2023.
Escambia County’s average was $3.16 Sunday night, with a low of $2.93 at a station on East Nine Mile Road. In North Escambia, a low of $2.96 was available Sunday night at one station on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
“Gas prices remain pretty volatile as 3.9 million Floridians prepare to take a road trip for Independence Day,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Although we have seen some price swings in recent weeks, it’s not likely significant enough to impact people’s travel plans. Oil prices have flattened out, which should limit any significant jumps at the pump in the coming days.”