Escambia Firefighter Injured; Two Homeless After Molino Fire
June 1, 2016
An Escambia County firefighter was injured and two people were left homeless in a Wednesday afternoon fire near Molino.
The fire was reported about just before 4 p.m. in a two-story home in the 2100 block of Jacks Branch Road, just north of Shifko Road.
An Escambia County firefighter was injured while working to fight the fire inside the home. He suffered a moderate laceration to his leg, which is “not anticipated to require surgery”, according to Joy Tsubooka, Escambia County spokesperson. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment.
The fire caused heavy damage to the home. There were no injuries to any of the home’s residents. The American Red Cross is assisting the two adults with temporary shelter.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
DUI Charges Dropped Against Attorney
June 1, 2016
DUI charges have been dropped against attorney David. J. Maloney due to a lack of evidence, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
“There is insufficient evidence to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt,” the State Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
“The State has determined there is insufficient evidence to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Both the in-car and intoxilyzer room videos were obtained and demonstrate no signs of impairment. Additional witnesses who saw the defendant at an Ice Flyers celebration prior to the stop testified that the defendant was seen purchasing a drink for his wife while declining a drink for himself because he was driving. While the defendant was speeding, had an odor of alcohol and had bloodshot and watery eyes, these factors alone do not reach the level necessary to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, the State is dismissing the charge,” court records state.
Maloney, 49, was booked into the Escambia County Jail about 3:35 a.m. Sunday, May 8 for DUI. Maloney was pulled over speeding in a 35 mph zone in a black Lamborghini on Via de Luna Drive on Pensacola Beach about 2 a.m. by an Escambia County deputy.
The deputy reported that Money had bloodshot and watery eyes and a strong order of alcohol coming from his person. He refused to take a filed sobriety test.
“The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has been contacted by media outlets about David J. Maloney’s DUI charges being dropped by the State Attorney’s Office,” an ECSO post to Facebook states. “The deputy sheriff followed policy, procedure, and state statute. The deputy offered Mr. Maloney several opportunities to dispel his belief that he was under the influence. Mr. Maloney refused all deputy’s requests to resolve the issue at the scene. Therefore, based on the evidence, including bloodshot eyes and the odor of alcohol, probable cause existed for effecting an arrest. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office then refers the case to the State Attorney’s Office who determines whether to bring the case to trial.”
One Injured In Highway 29 McDavid Crash
June 1, 2016
One person received minor injuries in a collision involving a car and a pickup truck this morning on Highway 29 north of Champion Drive.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.comment photos.
It’s Unofficially Summer, But Where Is Century’s New Splash Pad?
June 1, 2016
Memorial Day marked the unofficial start to the summer, but a splash pad funded by a state grant still is not open in Century’s Showalter Park.
Town officials had hoped that the splash pad would be up and running by now, but they said an EF-3 tornado that struck the town in February delayed the process. Town workers were busy with tornado clean up, leaving no time to install the water and sewer lines for the splash pad.
But officials say the town will complete preparations for the splash pad as soon as possible so that it can be installed by the manufacturer.
In 2015, Century received the $50,000 grant from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program for the splash pad.
Pictured: The Town of Century was awarded a state grant to purchase this model splash pad. Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
June 1, 2016
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending May 26 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
FWC Officers Barnard and Cushing responded to a disturbance aboard a broken down vessel on the Escambia River. A nearby concerned citizen called in the disturbance after hearing threats from one of the subjects onboard this vessel that were directed towards several other subjects also onboard the vessel. The situation escalated and a second report was called in stating that the person making the threats was now armed. Officers Barnard and Cushing located the vessel and removed the suspect. An Escambia County deputy arrived and the suspect and the incident was turned over to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
While patrolling Blackwater State Forest, Officer Hutchinson and Investigator Hughes inspected several primitive campsites. During these inspections, they observed alcohol and illegal drug violations. They made several arrests for possession of illegal drugs, including a felony arrest for possession of methamphetamine, and issued citations for possession of alcoholic beverages in posted areas. The officers also made contact with and identified a subject who had multiple warrants for his arrest from Escambia County. They subject was placed under arrest and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail.
While off duty, Officer Hutchinson observed a woman parked near a creek and retrieve a large plastic box from the trunk of her car and walk towards the water’s edge. He observed the woman then dump several large goldfish into the creek. As she left the area, the officer was able to get her vehicle’s tag information. He walked to the creek and discovered six goldfish swimming in the creek where the woman had dumped them. The goldfish were approximately 8 to 10 inches in length and had large sores on them. He was able to catch one of the goldfish but was unable to catch the other five. The following day, Officer Hutchinson made contact with the woman and interviewed her. She admitted to dumping the goldfish into the creek because she didn’t want them anymore. He contacted Captive Wildlife Investigator Wilkerson who helped him properly identify the fish as comet goldfish which are not native to Florida. The female subject was issued a citation for releasing a non-native species into Florida waters without a permit.
Lieutenant Keen and Officer Brady were conducting offshore patrols when they checked a vessel that had eleven red snapper onboard. Initially, the captain said he didn’t realize he was in federal waters (15 miles offshore), but later admitted to knowing his location. The captain of the vessel was cited for the violation.
Officer Gore was contacted by Officer Goodwin concerning an oyster vessel that he was surveilling returning to a dock located behind a residence. Officer Gore went to the location and observed a subject sitting in the “doghouse” of the vessel smoking something out of a glass pipe. As Officer Gore approached, the subject quickly tried to hide the pipe. When asked for the pipe, the subject threw it overboard. The subject was handcuffed and the pipe recovered. Officers Alsobrooks and Hellet arrived to assist. Follow-up found an empty baggie containing residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine located on the deck of the boat where the subject was sitting and also a pipe with cannabis residue. The subject was booked into the Bay County Jail for possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest without violence.
Officer Price conducted successful offshore patrols over the weekend. As he pulled up to one vessel, one subject was de-hooking a legal red snapper and returning it to the waters. A check of the cooler found four red snapper inside. During another stop, he found four red snapper onboard a vessel. And yet another inspection yielded twelve red snapper. Federal citations were issued for possession of red snapper during closed season. Another inspection found a filleted greater amberjack and several short grey triggerfish. When the captain was asked where the filets of the amberjack were, he said that he had eaten them. The amberjack was found to be undersized and a citation was issued.
Officer Price investigated a boating accident involving two personal watercraft (PWC) that were part of a Jet Ski tour group. As the group approached Grand Lagoon’s idle speed zone, one of the PWC ran into the back of another PWC causing one passenger to be injured. A citation was issued after the investigation was concluded.
While patrolling in Blackwater State Forest, Officer Hutchinson and Investigator Hughes located a gopher tortoise digging a burrow in the middle of a heavily traveled dirt road. It appeared that the tortoise was preparing to lay her eggs in the hole. They relocated the tortoise to a different area where the chance of her and her eggs’ survival were greater.
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.
One Cowboy, One Horse And A 48 State Ride For Children
June 1, 2016
Tye Sturgeon is just one cowboy in this old world, but with his horse he is on a major mission to help children.
He’s riding solo through 48 states with the goal of raising at least $30,000 for children’s charities, although he admits a million dollars would be good.
Tuesday morning, rode into Century, marking his 13th state as he continued on to Jay by afternoon.
Sturgeon, 20, dreamed of being a cowboy, horseman and a Pro Bronco rider. Even though he did not make it to the pro circuit he did get to rodeo for awhile. Sadly due to injuries he had to give that dream up. Yet, he said he feels blessed that God gave him the chance to live it at all and helped him create a new dream.
Knowing that there are so many young people out there who are not blessed enough to live their dreams, Sturgeon was inspired to make his 48-state ride to earn money for Western Wishes, a charity that “since 1994 helps turn dreams into lasting memories for countless kids faced with adversity who love the western way of life.”
As he rides, Sturgeon is collecting pledges to be paid to Western Wishes once his ride is complete.
Born and raised in North Central Arkansas, Sturgeon is a quiet, soft spoken young man with a quick smile and big warm heart. He claims he never meets a stranger and goes out of his way to make people feel at ease.
When asked about where his respect for horsemanship began, he said, “I learned a love of horses and mules from my father and grandfather. I grew up watching them train horses and mules. They also competed in (and still enjoy attending) chuck wagon races which were especially fun because my family was the first to ‘drive 4 Up’ at the Clinton Arkansas Chuck Wagon Races.”
Sturgeon graduated from Batesville High School where he played football for the Pioneers. He was also a member of the FFA and showed steers in the All Star Steer program.
As a small kid, he rode sheep at local rodeos, and as a young man, moved on to his beloved broncs. But concussions and a warning from his doctor changed Sturgeon’s rodeo path from competitor to fan.After his Ride is over Sturgeon plans to settle down on a piece of land to train horses and mules and continue his outreach for children’s charities.
“I really respect and look up to Tuff Hedeman and Chris Cox and the other great American Cowboys who make up an elite group. I feel their honesty, hard work and integrity make them someone to emulate and to look up to. I absolutely love the American Cowboy lifestyle and code of living and greatly admire the honest simple way of life that is being lost to a digital age.”
To donate to Sturgeon’s ride or Western Wishes, click here.
Pictured top: Cowboy Tye Sturgeon rode into Century Tuesday morning, his 13th state on a 48 state ride. Pictured inset: Sturgeon meets a young man at The Panhandle Restaurant in Century. Pictured below: Sturgeon made it to Jay on Tuesday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sheriff’s Office Reports Increase In Common IRS Phone Scam
June 1, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office reported a number of calls Tuesday from residents reporting a common IRS phone scam.
The Sheriff’s Office said residents are reporting someone calls claiming to be an IRS employee, and then asks the call recipient to pay they money they owe or go to jail.
The ECSO said residents receiving one of these phone calls sgiykd hang up and call the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484 or visit their website at www.tigta.gov.
Residents Learn How To Purchase An AED At Escambia County’s Cost
June 1, 2016
A group of residents met Tuesday night at the Walnut Hill Fire Station to learn more about how to purchase an automated external defibrillator (AED) at Escambia County’s cost.
Escambia County is giving churches, businesses and even individuals the chance to purchase an AED at the same cost the county received during its last bid solicitation. Public Safety Director Mike Weaver and EMS Chief Steve White informed the small crowd about how and AED works, how to use one in their church or business setting and about available options such as wall cases.
The cost will be $1,317.31 for the AED and associated equipment, according to Mike Weaver. Escambia County Public Safety Director . The vendor is also offering a wall mount cabinet for an additional $99.
“By no means are we trying to ’sell’ this particular AED. It is the same AED that we have chosen for our responders, county buildings and parks. There are other devices and distributors that may be able to offer a lower price that will be shared,” Weaver said.
An automated external defibrillator is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can stop an irregular heart rhythm and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is an abrupt loss of heart function. If it’s not treated within minutes, it quickly leads to death.
According to Escambia County, AEDs are important because they make it possible for more people to respond to a medical emergency where defibrillation is required. Because AEDs are portable, they can be used by anyone who has been trained how to use them – not only by medical professionals. They can be made part of emergency response programs that also include rapid use of 9-1-1 and prompt delivery of CPR. All three of these activities are vital to improving survival from cardiac arrest.
For more information, contact Escambia County Public Safety at (850) 471-6400.
Pictured top: The AED model offered under an at-cost purchase program with Escambia County. Pictured below: Residents learn about the program at the Walnut Hill Fire Station Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FHP Seeks Cantonment Hit And Run Dodge Ram With Skull And Guns On Grill
June 1, 2016
The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for a Dodge Ram that had a unique grill decoration that was involved in a Cantonment hit and run accident just before 4 p.m. Tuesday.
According to the FHP, the Dodge Ram was traveling northbound on Wegner Avenue approaching Mintz Lane when the driver failed to stop at a yield sign and struck a Toyota Avalon driven by 71-year old Elizabeth Harris of Cantonment.
The Toyota left the roadway and struck a concrete table and landscaping at 302 Wegner Avenue, while the driver of the Dodge Ram fled the scene northbound on Wegner Avenue.
Harris and her six-year old passenger suffered minor injuries.
The FHP is looking for a white male driving a black Dodge Ram, possibly a 1998-2000 model with heavy front end damage and missing the front grill. The grill was left on scene. It had a chrome skull with two guns mounted to the front.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper Joshua Tucker at joshuatucker@flhsmv.gov or call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Florida Wildlife Staff Preps For Possible Bear Hunt
June 1, 2016
Wildlife officials will use input from an ongoing series of webinars to help make their case about how a black-bear hunt could be held later this year, even as many of the questions posed come from critics.
No hunt has been approved, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission won’t receive a staff recommendation until just before a meeting June 22 and June 23 in the Franklin County community of Eastpoint.
But during a three-hour webinar Thursday, commission staff members were adamant that a hunt is among the various ways to manage the state’s growing bear population and to reduce human-bear interactions. This week, webinars are scheduled for Tuesday night and Thursday.
“When we look at what FWC and partner agencies and others are doing, we’re throwing everything and the kitchen sink at bears right now,” Dave Telesco, commission bear-management program coordinator, said during the webinar. “We’re doing education. We’re trying for ordinances. We’re trying to get voluntary compliance in securing trash. We’re hunting and we’re moving bears. And so we’re basically trying to do everything that we can to reduce those conflicts and to reduce the risks to public safety.”
Thomas Eason, director of the commission’s habitat and species conservation division, said the agency is still formulating its recommendation, using information from last year’s hunt in which hunters killed 304 bears in two days, and still taking input from different groups.
But he added that the agency can’t just focus on educating people to secure trash and food when left outside and expect bears and humans not to cross paths.
“We’re looking at over 200 bears that are being hit by vehicles, that means people are in those vehicles,” Eason said during the webinar. “Part of the rationale behind the hunt is to help shift mortality away from things where it’s impacting people negatively.”
Harry Dutton, leader of the hunting and game management division, said “for a possible future hunt” officials are looking at the length and time of year for the hunt and limiting the number of permits. Also, they are looking at how check stations are monitored, rules for hunting on wildlife management areas, the prohibition on baiting bears, the use of dogs to track bears and the minimum size of bears that could be killed.
In last year’s hunt, there was a 100-pound minimum as bears under that weight are considered cubs.
The two-day hunt in October was highly controversial and was the state’s first black-bear hunt in more than two decades.
About 600 questions were submitted during last week’s live-chat session, most from a handful of bear-hunt critics, and many were redundant as some participants came in and out during the 150-minute question and answer portion.
The webinar opened with a brief outline on the growth of the bear population in the state, a recap of the 2015 bear hunt, the latest estimates on the numbers of bears in Florida and efforts to reduce incidents involving humans and bears.
The state agency currently estimates, based upon recent surveys, 4,220 bears are in the state, up from 2,640 in 2002. The population growth has been called robust as the estimated bear count was as low as 300 to 500 in the 1970s, when bears were put on the state’s list of threatened species. Bears were removed from the list in 2012.
Local government officials from Seminole, Miami-Dade and Volusia counties have voiced opposition to a repeat of the 2015 hunt.
Critics of bear hunting rattled off questions about issues such as why the state agency doesn’t provide free bear-proof trash cans in areas where nuisance calls are made. Also, they raised questions about whether nuisance bears should be relocated deeper into the wilderness and into less populated areas and if the state agency is “embarrassed about the worldwide media coverage they received last year opposing the hunt?”
“FWC claims that the science is there for a hunt, but that doesn’t mean that a bear hunt should or must take place,” wrote Laura Bevan, a webinar participant and the regional director of the Humane Society of the United States, which opposed last year’s hunt.
A few of the critics added that if another hunt is held, the state should limit bear-hunt permits to Florida residents or simply use professional hunters to manage the population and avoid a “free for all.”
“Why does FWC pander to the small few ‘problem people’ who hate or are intolerant to bears? Why does FWC push so hard for a trophy hunt?” asked webinar participant Lee Day.
Those posing questions that favored hunting bear pushed to allow baiting and to expand the role of dogs in the hunts on certain lands larger than 50,000 acres. Also, they raised ideas about holding the hunt in the spring, excluding from the state’s Sunshine Law the names of permit holders and having the hunt last longer.
This year, Florida lawmakers included $500,000 in the new state budget to reduce human-bear conflicts. A large part of the money is revenue from permits sold for the 2015 hunt. The money doesn’t become available until after the July 1 start of the new fiscal year.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida