Flomaton Man Enters Plea In 2016 State Line Shooting
March 22, 2018
An Atmore man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for an April 2016 shooting death in Flomaton.
Devonte DeShawn Rollins faces up to 20 years in state prison for the shooting death of 18-year old Kenneth Harris, Jr. at a home on Lender Street, an area directly on the Alabama-Florida state line off Alley 5 in Century.
Rollins shot Harris one time in the back of his head; he was pronounced deceased at the scene by Escambia County EMS. Officers from the Flomaton Police Department and the Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office responded to the initial call, with the the Flomaton Police Department taking the lead role in the investigation.
NorthEscambia.com was the only media present as agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Flomaton Police Department executed a search warrant at a home and removed evidence from the home shortly after the shooting. Rollins was charged three days later.
Pictured top: Devonte DeShawn Rollins was arrested in Atmore and transferred into the custody of the Flomaton Police Department. Pictured below: A Flomaton Police officer (right) and a FBI agent removed evidence from a home on Lender Street in Flomaton in April 2016. Pictured below: A U.S. Marshal watches over the scene where a search warrant was executed Friday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
‘Golden Cow Dung Award’ Presented To Ernest Ward Media Specialist During FFA Breakfast
March 22, 2018
Ernest Ward Middle School media specialist Sherri Stallworth received the tenth annual “Golden Cow Dung Award” from members of the Ernest Ward FFA Wednesday. The award presented during a FFA appreciation breakfast features a large piece of cow dung, painted a golden color and mounted on a board painted in school colors.
Stallworth received the award from the school’s FFA members as a “thank you” for supporting FFA. This is National Agriculture Week.
(Cow dung, in case you did not know, is what you are probably thinking it is. It’s that natural byproduct that cows drop in the field. The award is 100 percent real dung spray painted a golden color. The golden piece presented Thursday is actually the first award piece created and painted nine years ago.)
Pictured: Ernest Ward Middle School FFA Golden Cow Dung Award presentation to Sherri Stallworth Wednesday morning Also pictured: EWMS FFA Appreciation Breakfast. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
March 22, 2018
FWC Law Enforcement Report
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending March 8 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer McHenry completed his investigation on a derelict vessel located in the Santa Rosa Sound. The owner of the vessel claimed he sold it, but did not have a bill of sale or proof of transferred title. Officer Allgood issued the subject a notice to appear citation for the derelict vessel. Citations were also issued for improper lighting and expired registration.
Officer Pettey issued a notice to appear citation to an individual for turkey hunting in a closed season in McDavid. The individual was discovered turkey hunting by a hunting club member who relayed the information. After an interview, the subject admitted to hunting turkey out of season. Charges were filed with the State Attorney’s Office for attempting to take turkey out of season.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Hutchinson was patrolling in Blackwater State Forest when he observed a campsite where a man and woman were packing up. As he pulled up, the man threw items under a log. A quick look revealed drug paraphernalia. A closer look revealed numerous items of drug paraphernalia and several containers with cocaine in various forms. The subjects were also in possession of methamphetamine. The woman admitted to making crack cocaine in the campsite and smoking methamphetamine. Both subjects were charged with manufacturing crack cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia and booked in the Santa Rosa County Jail.
Lieutenant Hahr was patrolling in Blackwater State Forest when he observed a campsite where some of the people were drinking alcoholic beverages. As he approached them, the five subjects passed around a cannabis pipe and each of them smoked from it. Lieutenant Hahr identified himself and seized the pipe, a bag of cannabis, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia. All five subjects were charged with possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Officers Ramos, Lugg, Wilkerson, Clark, Long, Cushing and Land participated in targeted enforcement of pompano regulations along Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Escambia County beaches. The officers checked more than 200 anglers in a two-week span resulting in 5 citations and 12 warnings for various violations.
O
fficer Ramos was patrolling the Santa Rosa Sound and observed a vessel operating in the Quietwater Beach area. A routine boating safety inspection was conducted and the operator could not produce two required safety items or the required registration. He stated he bought the boat two years ago but could not produce a bill of sale or any type of registration. Officer Ramos followed the vessel to a nearby boat ramp where the operator recovered the vessel from the water. The truck used to pull the boat did not have a registration tag on it nor the vessel trailer. After a thorough investigation, the operator was deemed to have purchased the out-of-state vessel in 2013 and failed to transfer the title. The truck he was driving had an expired registration of 2016. The owner was issued a criminal citation for failing to record an out of state vessel, a traffic citation for expired vehicle registration greater than 6 months, a boating citation for failing to carry required safety equipment, as well as multiple warnings for other violations.
Officer Ramos observed two men return from a fishing trip and followed them to a local boat ramp. The vessel was pushing a wake in an idle speed zone until they saw the officer approach. After a boating safety inspection, Officer Ramos asked if the men had caught any fish. The men showed him ten gray snapper and several unregulated fish in a cooler. Upon measuring the snapper, seven of the ten were undersized. The captain of the vessel admitted he should have measured the fish and took responsibility for the seven undersized fish. The fish were seized and the man was cited for the undersized fish and issued a warning for violating the idle speed zone.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Century Accepts Bid For Website Redesign
March 22, 2018
The Town of Century will soon have a new website, accepting a bid that came in under their $7,500 budget.
The site will be built and hosted by the Municode, a Tallahassee based firm. Century currently contracts with the company to make their code of ordinances available online.
Municode submitted a base bid of $4,000 for design, development and implementation of a new website and $1,500 for annual hosting, maintenance and customer support. An interest-free four year payment plan was offered. Municode has been in business for 66 years and works with over 4,200 government agencies across the country.
The full feature site will be constructed using a content management system (CMS) that will allow town employees to keep the site updated with little effort. The site is expected to be live about three months after Century completes the contract and submits the necessary information.
The town’s current website was last updated in early 2015.
Proposals were received from five other companies.
- A three-page proposal from Level Up Web Design in Pensacola was determined by the council not to meet the RFP requirements.
- Menadena in Keene, NH, submitted a proposal that exceeded budget with a first year cost of $10,112.
- A proposal from Site Metropolis provided for a base price for site design at $2,000 and a “monthly maintenance” fee of $500, for an initial year cost of $8,000, plus $6,000 per additional year. The proposal was not considered due to cost.
- Taylorsday of Rahway, NJ, offered a $7,500 web design plan plus ongoing costs of $960 in license fees and $150 year for third-party plugins.
- GovUnity’s proposal was “not to exceed $6,400″ with a monthly cost of $75, billed annual. The council briefly discussed the proposal, but felt the company was not a good fit for Century.
Full disclosure: NorthEscambia.com was hired by vote of the full Century Town Council to review the technical aspects of the website RFP, evaluate the technical aspects of the review criteria, evaluate each submitted proposal, attend the selection workshop and answer any technical questions from the council. We disclosed at that time that we would not submit a bid on the proposal. Our total bill for services rendered is estimated to be $400.
Pictured: The Town of Century’s current website, which has had no apparent updates since February 2015. NorthEscambia.com image.
FDOC: Woman Stopped From Introducing Drugs Into Century Prison
March 22, 2018
The Florida Department of Corrections said a woman was stopped from introducing contraband into Century Correctional Institution last Saturday.
CCI’s K-9 Interdiction Team detected illegal drugs inside a visitor’s vehicle. The woman consented to a vehicle search, and institutional staff discovered illegal drugs, according to FDOC. Her visitation privileges were terminated.
“The Florida Department of Corrections has zero tolerance for contraband of any kind, and visitors attempting to introduce contraband are subject to immediate termination of their visitation privileges,” the agency said. “Whenever contraband is recovered on a visitor, local law enforcement is always contacted as well and they determine whether to make an arrest.”
Information on any arrest related to the incident was not available.
About a month ago. weekend visitations were canceled at the nearby Century Work Camp after the discover of a “significant” amount on contraband inside the facility. The department declined to identify what type or quantity of contraband was located inside the facility on Tedder Road just west of the Century Correctional Institution.
Pictured: Inside the Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Tate To Play For Third Place In Aggie Classic; Oklahoma Teams Go For First Place
March 22, 2018
The Tate Aggies will play for third place Thursday in their 25th Annual Aggie Classic. The game is at 4 p.m. at Tate.
The Aggie Classic championship game will follow between two Oklahoma teams at 7 p.m. as Union takes on Mustang at 7 p.m.
THURSDAY SCHEDULE
At Choctaw
Choctaw vs. Carl Albert 6 p.m.
At Escambia
Piedmont vs. Coosa Valley, 4 p.m.
Goodpasture vs. Bentonville 7 p.m.
At Tate
Morgan vs. Moore, 10 a.m.
Bartlesville vs. Apopka, 1 p.m.
Casica Hall vs. Tate 4 p.m.
Union vs. Mustang 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY SCORES
- Tate 11, Piedmont 10
- Morgan 12, Carl Albert 2
- Goodpasture 8, Moore 3
- Mustang 8, Apopka 4
- Choctaw 13, Washington 7
- Mustang 10, Bentonville 0
- Bentonville 7, McAlester 1
- Bartlesville 13, Morgan 3
- Union 4, West Florida 8
- Marianna 8, Christ Presbyterian 6
- Cascia Hall 2, Coosa Valley 1
Gun Restrictions Won’t Go On November Ballot
March 22, 2018
Floridians won’t have an opportunity to decide whether the state should ban semi-automatic weapons — or to weigh in on other gun-related restrictions — after the Constitution Revision Commission rejected attempts to debate the proposals Wednesday.
Efforts to take up gun-related issues came as the 37-member commission, which meets every 20 years, is narrowing a list of proposed constitutional amendments to place before voters on the November ballot.
A handful of commissioners floated proposals that would impose stricter gun regulations, such as a ban on assault-style weapons, following the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in which 14 students and three staff members were shot dead by 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz. Cruz, who had a lengthy history of mental health problems, used an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle he purchased legally — with no waiting period — to carry out the shooting in Parkland.
Commissioner Roberto Martinez, a former federal prosecutor, proposed an amendment that mirrored gun restrictions imposed by a new Florida law, which raised the minimum age from 18 to 21 and imposed a three-day waiting period to purchase long guns, such as the one used by Cruz. Like the new law, Martinez’s amendment also called for banning “bump stocks,” devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to mimic automatic guns.
While lawmakers passed the age and waiting-period restrictions, putting such measures in the Constitution would make them more permanent — and harder to change. The Constitution Revision Commission has unique power to place proposals directly on the ballot.
Martinez, a Republican who said he owns three guns, said he met with students from the Parkland school and others while researching the issue.
“They’re not gun-grabbers. But what these students and the young people are asking for are reasonable laws to make sure that guns don’t get into the hands of the wrong people,” Martinez argued. “That’s all they want. And they want an opportunity to vote … to put into our Constitution those same very meaningful and reasonable firearm safety restrictions that are now included in the act.”
But Martinez tried to add the amendment to another commission proposal (Proposal 3) that deals with property rights of certain immigrants. Commissioner Emery Gainey, who works for Attorney General Pam Bondi and was appointed to the constitution-revision panel by Gov. Rick Scott, challenged whether the amendment had anything to do with the underlying proposal.
“I have personally seen the carnage that it (a semi-automatic weapon) does to the human body,” Gainey, who’s spent three decades in law enforcement, said. “I think it’s a discussion that Floridians ought to have. … There’s a proper forum. I don’t think this is it.”
As they did on two other gun-related proposals, a majority of the commission refused to allow a debate on Martinez’s amendment after Rules and Administration Chairman Tim Cerio decided the proposal was “not germane” to the underlying proposal.
“It’s not even a close call,” Cerio, a former general counsel to Scott, said.
Martinez appealed the decision and asked that the rules be waived, because the Feb. 14 shooting occurred after an Oct. 31 deadline for proposals to be submitted.
But Bondi, who serves on the constitution-revision panel, said commissioners had plenty of time to file proposals following the 2016 mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando that left 49 people dead.
“To say that the shooting came up recently, well, we had Pulse nightclub a year ago. You’ve all known that from day one. No one did anything on that,” she said.
But Martinez argued that people should be allowed to “have a voice” and “publicly debate” what has become “the issue of the day” for Floridians.
“There was mention of the awful tragedy at Pulse, where the gay community was targeted. That was an awful massacre. And what did the Legislature do about that? Anybody want to raise their hands? No hands? That’s because they did nothing,” Martinez said.
He urged the commission to echo the actions of “the political leadership of this state” this year, saying Scott and the Legislature had “basically been unshackled to address this issue,” despite pressure from powerful special interests. The National Rifle Association filed a federal lawsuit shortly after Scott signed the new law and has targeted Republican legislators who supported the measure.
“What is the harm done, if we were to go forward, debate this issue and vote on it? I can’t see any harm,” he said. “What is the benefit? The benefit is unlimited.”
The motion to waive the rules failed on a voice vote.
Commissioner Chris Smith, a former state senator from Fort Lauderdale, met with an identical response — a challenge to germanity — when he attempted to introduce an amendment that would ban assault-style weapons.
Smith, a Democrat, noted that the Legislature debated the assault-weapons ban during the annual session, which ended March 11.
But Florida voters “want to have a voice on this,” he said.
“It’s being debated right now in your home offices. It’s being debated in the parking lots of Publix. It’s being debated throughout this state. We are in a unique opportunity to give those 20 million a chance to actually vote on it,” he said.
The majority also rejected taking up Smith’s amendment.
Wednesday’s CRC actions came after House Speaker Richard Corcoran — targeted by the National Rifle Association following the passage of the new gun restrictions — wrote in a letter to commissioners that he had a “grave concern” about amendments “that are inappropriate for inclusion in the state Constitution.”
Corcoran, a Land O’ Lakes Republican, said he opposed proposals seeking an assault-weapons ban and an “extended” waiting period.
Firearm policies “are best left to the purview of an elected legislature in a constitutional republic,” the speaker wrote Wednesday morning.
“The Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms. All firearm policies flow from that fundamental right and should remain policy matters for the Legislature,” Corcoran wrote.
Noting that Corcoran had essentially told the Constitution Revision Commission to mind its own business, Commissioner Hank Coxe, a Jacksonville lawyer, offered a proposal that included a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and a 10-day waiting period for the purchase of guns.
Coxe, who was appointed by Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, said the commission had signed off on numerous proposals that lawmakers refused to pass — including a potential ban on greyhound racing and a victim’s rights measure known as “Marsy’s Law.”
“The legacy of the CRC is, as we stand here now given the germanity issue, that we worry about victim’s rights in Marsy’s Law, that we worry about the greyhounds, but, because of adherence to this rule, we do not worry about reducing the number of people murdered in the state of Florida,” Coxe said. “Forget germanity. Just waive the rules.”
But, again on a voice vote, a majority of the commission refused to waive the rules, and Coxe’s amendment failed.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward Won’t Seek Third Term
March 21, 2018
Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward announced Wednesday that he would not seek a third term as mayor in 2018 and released the following statement:
Serving as Pensacola’s mayor for the past seven years has been the greatest honor and privilege of my life. I’ve been humbled to lead our city during a truly transformational time and to advocate for Pensacola across the state, throughout the nation, and around the world. My love for this city, for its people, for its families and neighborhoods, knows no bounds.
But I have always believed that the best leaders are not career politicians but citizen servants. True leaders know when to step aside and make way for new voices and new ideas. After reflecting and praying with my family, I have decided not to seek a third term as mayor of Pensacola.
I am proud beyond measure of the remarkable progress our city has made during my time in office. Nearly all of the “20 Solutions” I campaigned on in 2010 have been completed or are in progress. Together, we have watched our downtown undergo a renaissance and become the thriving heart of our region. We’ve worked to create a business-friendly culture and have attracted companies like ST Engineering, Southwest Airlines, UPS, and more. We’ve made our streets safer than ever, with the first murder-free year in nearly three decades last year. And we’ve built invaluable relationships in Tallahassee and Washington that have allowed us to bring a fair share of our tax dollars back here to Pensacola.
Every one of our success has been a team effort, and I want to thank the city council, our great city employees, our business community, my friends, and supporters for everything they’ve done to help make Pensacola the thriving, vibrant city we’ve become. I will leave this job humbled and grateful for the opportunity to have served each of you.
Most of all, I want to thank my wife An, my son Aiden, my parents, and the rest of my family for the sacrifices they have made while allowing me to serve our city. Nothing I have done would have been possible without their love and support.
Each and every day, I have approached this job with one goal: to do the best job I can for the people of this city. For the next nine months, I will continue to do exactly that as I explore ways to best serve the people of Pensacola in the years to come. I am more excited than ever about what the future holds for our city. Together, we have laid a solid foundation for the promise that lies ahead. Pensacola is a city with the wind at its back and our potential is limitless.
Nine Mile Walgreens Robbery Suspect Id’d As Kentucky Officer-Involved Shooting Suspect
March 21, 2018
Update: The suspect in a Nine Mile Walgreens robbery Wednesday morning has been identified as 32-year old David P. or Davis Vaughn, who is also wanted in connection with an officer-involved shooting in Boone County, Kentucky.
A Kentucky deputy fired at Vaughn on Monday because he feared he was about to be run over. The incident started when two deputies responded to a suspicious person complaint at a gas station where Vaughn was allegedly shooting up heroin. Deputies reported difficulty in handcuffing him due to his physical sizes, at which time he placed his vehicle in drive and a deputy fired four shots out of fear for his well-being. The vehicle was later found abandoned.
In Kentucky, Vaughn is wanted for a probation violation, along with aggravated burglary, fleeing or evading police, two counts of assault, two-counts of wanton endangerment, theft, heroin possession and tampering with physical evidence.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Vaughn is considered dangerous and should not be approached. Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call 911.
Previous story:
Deputies are searching for a man that robbed a Walgreens at gunpoint this morning.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said the man walked into the Walgreens on Nine Mile Road at Pine Forest Road about 8:15 this morning and pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded pills. He fled the store in a maroon Nissan Rogue (pictured below).
Anyone with information on the holdup is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Images courtesy Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High School Hosts District Special Olympics (With Photo Gallery)
March 21, 2018
The 21st Annual Escambia County School District’s Special Olympics Spring Games were held Tuesday at Tate High School with over 500 student athletes from 24 schools. Over 500 Tate student volunteers assisted as “buddies” and event workers.
The event began with Special Olympic athletes running with the Special Olympics Torch around the track. There was also an Olympic Village with plenty of fun and games, and even a petting zoo, for the athletes to enjoy after they completed their track and field events.
Athletes received the traditional gold, silver and bronze medals for top finishes.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
