Century Man Jailed After Getting Upset About Firemen Blocking Road While Working To Save Wreck Victim
December 24, 2019
A 70-year Century old man was apparently upset that first responders had blocked the road to extricate an accident victim from his vehicle.
James Wendall Gandy was charged obstruction of justice without violence after the incident Sunday night.
Escambia Fire Rescue was working to free a critically injured wreck victim from his truck on Highway 4A west of Century. Gandy approached the scene and began screaming at deputies to “move the [expletive] vehicles out of the road” so he could get to his house located a few yards away, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report.
Deputies told him several times to return to his vehicle, but Gandy continued to curse at them and refused to return to his vehicle, the arrest report states. He turned toward a deputy in an aggressive manner “as if he was going to punch him” before deputies physically escorted him from the scene to a patrol vehicle.
As deputies attempted to handcuff Gandy, he began to actively pull away and at one point tried to kick a deputy, the ECSO said.
The deputy noted in his report that Gandy appeared to be intoxicated and had a strong odor of alcoholic beverage coming from his breath.
Gandy remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday morning with bond set at $500.
Camp Fire Kids Share Christmas Joy With Century Nursing Home Residents
December 24, 2019
The Camp Fire Century VPK class recently visited the residents of the Century Health and Rehabilitation Center to share Christmas joy. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Lane Closures On Florida’s State Roads For The Holidays
December 24, 2019
For the holiday season, there will be no lane closures on state roads These lane closure restrictions include both construction and maintenance activities, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Cub Scouts ‘Sock It To The Homeless’ For The Holiday Season
December 24, 2019
Local Cub Scouts decided to “sock it to the homeless” for Christmas.
Cub Scout Pack 499 sponsored by Gonzalez United Methodist Church took part in the service project to collect socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant and other small toiletries to go inside the socks to donate to the Waterfront Rescue Mission.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NAS Pensacola Announces Holiday Access Updates For Base And Barrancas National Cemetery
December 24, 2019
With the current FBI shoot investigation ongoing onboard NAS Pensacola, the installation remains open for current DoD ID cardholders only.
The Trusted Travelers Program is still in affect and DoD ID cardholders can escort guests onto the installation and to the museum and lighthouse.
Access to Barrancas National Cemetery remains as normal. Visitors to Barrancas National Cemetery without a DoD ID card may obtain a pass at the Visitor Control Center (VCC), which is located at the Main Gate. VCC hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Video: Molino Park Choir Performs At Winterfest
December 24, 2019
The Molino Park Elementary School Choir performed at Winterfest in downtown Pensacola earlier this month. The performance video is above.
Photos/video for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Overturned Log Truck, Spilled Logs Close Highway 97 For Hours; One Injured
December 23, 2019
An overturned log truck shut down Highway 97 for about five hours south of Walnut Hill Monday morning.
The driver lost control in a curve about 1.5 miles south of Tungoil Road and overturned. The truck slid on its side for about 100 yards, destroyed the end of a guardrail before coming to rest against a guardrail on the opposite side of the road. Logs were spilled across a long section of the roadway.
The driver was transported by Escambia County EMS to West Florida Hospital.
The crash happened about 9:20 a.m., and the road remained completely blocked and closed until about 2:10 p.m.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Crash On Highway 95A In Molino
December 23, 2019
One person was injured when their vehicle struck a tree Monday morning in Molino.
The driver lost control, ran off the roadway and hit the tree on Highway 95A at Sean Road. They were transported by Escambia County EMS to an area hospital.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Man Critically Injured In Wreck Near Century
December 23, 2019
On person was critically injured in a single vehicle wreck Sunday night near Century.
Richard Davis, 61, lost control of his Nissan Frontier on Highway 4A, about seven-tenths of a mile west of Tulip Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The pickup left the roadway and slammed into two trees about 7:15 p.m.
Firefighters used the Jaws of Life to free Davis. He was transported by Escambia County EMS as a trauma alert to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
The Century and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bittersweet Christmas ‘Gift Of A Lifetime’ For Fallen Marine Travis Nelson’s Mom
December 23, 2019
It was a gift that meant the world to a Gold Star mom.
Beckie Nelson’s son, Travis Nelson, was shot and killed while conducting combat operations in in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on August 18, 2011.
Last week, she was sitting at her desk at work when a UPS package arrived.
“Not recognizing the return label I opened the package,” Beckie Nelson said, “…at my desk thinking it was another Etsy Christmas gift that I just forgot about.”
But it wasn’t just another gift. It was the hat, the Marine cover, her son had last worn over eight years ago. It was a gift that immediately brought back a flood of emotions and memories.
“One of Travs senior Marines contacted me a while back and told me he had something of ‘Nelsons’ that he wanted me to have….Truly a ‘gift’ that had my heart spinning and the tears overflowing. Eight years later and I immediately saw my handsome eighteen year old son smiling that unforgettable smile right before me! More than okay, the most memorable, bittersweet gift of a lifetime,” she said.
Travis Nelson grew up in Bratt, where the local park bears his name. He attended Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle School.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
