High Speed Chase Ends With Highway 29 Crash, One Arrest
September 21, 2024
The Florida Highway Patrol arrested an Escambia County man after a high-speed chase that ended in a crash on Highway 29.
The incident began when the Trooper attempted to stop a blue Jaguar sedan near the intersection of Detroit Street and Highway 29. The vehicle was suspected of being involved in criminal activity, and its registered owner had an active felony warrant from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for possession of dangerous drugs.
When the trooper tried to pull the vehicle over, the driver fled, leading to a high speed chaseu. The suspect vehicle ran a red light and collided with a white Toyota Rav4 at the intersection of Highway 29 and West Detroit Boulevard.
The suspect then exited the vehicle and fled on foot. The trooper pursued him on foot, giving verbal commands for him to stop. The suspect jumped a fence and continued running before being apprehended by trooper.
The suspect, identified as 22- year Terfa Josaphat Uvah, was transported to a local hospital. After being discharged, he was arrested and transported to the Escambia County Jail. He faces charges of aggravated fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, hit and run with serious injury, reckless driving with serious injuries, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. He remained jail without bond.
The driver of the Toyota Rav4 was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries..
Northview Chiefs Fall Short In Close Battle With Holmes County
September 21, 2024
In a contest that went down to the wire, the Northview Chiefs narrowly fell to the Holmes County Blue Devils by a score of 34-27 Friday night.
The Blue Devils lit up the scoreboard with about eight minutes to go in the first quarter. With a failed two-point attempt, Holmes led the Chiefs 6-0.
But the first quarter would not end without an answer from the visiting Chiefs. With about a minute to go in the first, quarterback Dane King connected with Sam Reid for a 30-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. With a good kick, the tables turned with the Chiefs on top 7-6.
The teams traded blows throughout the game, with Northview’s Moses Delarosa adding a 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
In the final minutes of the game, Northview made a late push, with King scoring two rushing touchdowns to bring his team within striking distance but short on time with just 37 seconds on the game clock. The Holmes County Blue Devils were able to hold on and secure the victory.
The Northview Chiefs (2-3) will be back at home next in Bratt Friday night against the Blue Devils of Atmore’s Escambia County High School (1-4).
Pictured top: Northview’s Dane King. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
High School Football Scoreboard
September 21, 2024
Here are this week’s North Escambia area high school Friday night high school football soree, along with a from Thursday night.
FLORIDA
Holmes County 34, Northview 27 [Game details..]
Pensacola Catholic 23, Pine Forest 0
Washington 16, Gulf Breeze 6
Mosley 38, Escambia 13
Navarre 15, Milton 13
Pace 42, Andalusia 13
Tate 42, West Florida 7 (Thurs) [Read more, photos...]
Jay 23, Chipley 13 (Thurs)
ALABAMA
Bayside Academy 14, Flomaton 0
Escambia Academy 27, Clarke Prep 16
T.R. Miller 33, Hillcrest 28
Marianna 49, W.S. Neal 36
St. Michael Catholic 49, Escambia County (Atmore) 12
Pictured: The Tate Aggies defeated the West Florida Jaguars 42-7 Thursday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Crash Involving Car, Two Motorcycles Claims Three Lives
September 20, 2024
An Escambia County crash involving a car and two motorcycles early Friday morning claimed three lives.
A 42-year-old female from Pensacola stopped her sedan at a stop sign on Clearwater Avenue where she turned left onto Michigan Avenue and directly into the path of two oncoming motorcycles, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Both motorcyclists, a 22-year-old man from Pensacola and a 24-year old man from Pace, were pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash, which happened about 12:04 a.m.
The driver of the car was transported to Baptist Hospital where she died, troopers said.
Couple Sentenced For Abusing Horses Near Century
September 20, 2024
Two people have been sentenced on animal cruelty charges for failing to properly care for their horses, one of which later died.
Richard Allen Jones, Jr., and his wife Katy Lynell Jones both pleaded no contest to two counts of animal cruelty, and Judge Linda Nobles withheld adjudication in sentencing each to 270 days in the county jail on each count to be served concurrently with probation terminating on release. Each faced up to five years in prison, according to court documents.
Richard Jones was remanded into custody to begin serving his sentence. Nobles ordered Katy Jones to report to a probation officer within hours of the sentencing and allowed Karty Jones to remain free and to turn herself in to serve her sentence within 10 days of Richard Jones being released from jail. The sentencing arrangement was made due to the couple having young children at home.
According to prosecutors, Richard Jones, Jr., and his wife Katy Jones both owned horses that were not cared for on Killam Road near Century, and both “failed to provide property care and treatment, which led to the intentional and unnecessary and repeated pain and suffering of said horses” between July 2022 and February 2023.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s office responded to call on February 4, 2023, about horses that had been let in a random field on Killam Road, one of which was down and suffering because no one had fed them. The couple had been living in a home located on the property several months prior.
“People need to know they can’t starve their horses,” Diane Lowery of the rescue group Panhandle Equine Rescue said. “They both had their own private counsel and little to no criminal history. We were expecting probation, but Escambia County takes animal cruelty very seriously and strives to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Animal cruelty should not be tolerated, as it speaks to a person’s lack of ability to care, which usually affects humans in their life; their spouse and children are also victim,” shea dded.
Editor’s note: Some readers may find the details and photos below disturbing. Discretion is advised. The details are from an ECSO arrest report.
“I observed a horse lying on its side in the field, and the horse appeared to be deceased,” a deputy wrote in his report. “As I approached the horse that was lying on its side, the horse tried to raise its head in an attempt to get up, however the horse was barely able to move. I observed the horse to be extremely emaciated, with its rib bones and hip bones projecting prominently.”
“I observed the area around the horse to be torn and dug up in a circular area where the horse had obviously thrashed and spun around on the ground in an attempt to get up. The horse has its head and neck lying in horse feces,” the deputy continued. “It was obvious that the horse had been there for a while.”
Deputies noted another horse in the pasture area that was also extremely emaciated with rib and hip bones projecting prominently. The horse’s hoofs were cracked and split extremely bad.
A small pony and goat in the pasture appeared fine.
“I did not observe any remnants of food in the pasture area that would indicate that the animals have been fed recently. I also observed the water trough to be dry with no potable water in the pasture. I did observe a small area of standing water in the pasture which appeared to be unsuitable for consumption.”
In a FaceTime conversation with the animal control officer, Katy Jones said the horses had received some feed three days before the ECSO was called, but it had been about two weeks since they had received a bale of hay. She stated that a veterinarian had not been contacted, but that her husband would be checking on the horses and moving them to green grass. Rickard Jones told the investigator that he would come by three times a week to feed the animals.
A livestock officer arrived on scene and took possession of the animals.
Pictured top: A malnourished pony is fed after being removed from a property near Century. Pictured first photo below: A malnourished horse was transported to Panhandle Equine Rescue. Pictured second photo below: Volunteers fight to save “Slick, who did not survive the night. Pictured bottom two photos: A second malnourished horse. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pictured: The Harvest Moon (And What Is It?)
September 20, 2024
A harvest moon was over West Florida High School Thursday night as the Jaguars fell to the Tate Aggies.
The moon was as waning gibbous phase, with 97% illuminated. The full moon was Wednesday night.
The harvest moon was actually its brightest just afternoon sunset on Tuesday, and it was also a supermoon.
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, “The full Moon that happens nearest to the fall equinox (September 22 or 23) always takes on the name “Harvest Moon.” Unlike other full Moons, this full Moon rises at nearly the same time—around sunset—for several evenings in a row, giving farmers several extra evenings of moonlight and allowing them to finish their harvests before the frosts of fall arrive.” This year, the fall equinox and the first day of fall is Sunday, September 22.
We snapped the photo above quickly without the aid of a tripod. (Canon R6 with a Canon f/2.8 70-200mm if you are curious about that sort of thing). We don’t know the identity of the helicopter pictured; it did not appear on an online flight tracker.
NorthEscambia.com photo by William Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Over 3,200 Ballots For Military And Overseas Voters On The Way
September 20, 2024
Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Robert D. Bender announced Thursday that the first vote-by-mail ballots for the November 5, 2024, General Election were being sent to military and overseas voters.
The mailing of domestic civilian ballots will begin next week to those who have vote-by-mail request. Federal and state laws require military and overseas ballots be sent no later than 45 days prior to an election. Florida law establishes a window for mailing civilian ballots between 40 and 33 days prior to election day.
Any Florida voter can choose to vote by mail. Due to a change in Florida law, you must renew your vote-by-mail request each elections cycle. If you have not already made a request and wish to receive your ballot in the mail, visit EscambiaVotes.gov/vote-by-mail or call us at (850) 595-3900. The request deadline is October 24.
The deadline to register to vote before the November 5, General Election is October 7, 2024. Visit EscambiaVotes.gov/register-to-vote for more information. Sample ballots are available online at EscambiaVotes.gov/sample-ballots and one will be mailed to all registered voters who have not requested a vote-by-mail ballot prior to the start of early voting. Voters with questions about their eligibility should call (850) 595-3900 or visit EscambiaVotes.gov/am-i-registered for more information.
Early Voting will begin on October 21 and run through November 2 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day at 10 area locations. Visit escambiavotes.gov/early-voting-locations for a complete list of locations and their addresses.
Tate Aggies Off To Best Start In Decades; Defeat WFHS 42-7 (With Gallery)
September 20, 2024
The Tate High School Aggies are off to their best start in over 20 years, winning their fifth straight game with a convincing 42-7 victory over the West Florida Jaguars on Thursday night.
Seniors Carson Secchiari and Demorion Clay, Jr. led the way for the Aggies with two touchdowns apiece. Laquarius Bradford and Elijah West also added touchdowns.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Tate dominated the first half, taking a 35-7 lead into the locker room.
The win improves Tate’s record to 5-0. The Aggies will look to keep their history-making winning streak going when they host the Navarre Raiders in a district game next Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.. The Raiders are currently 0-3 as they head into a Friday night game against 0-4 Milton on Friday night.
Look for a bonus photo gallery with the cheerleaders, Showband of the South and more in the coming days.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Convicted Murderer Get Second Life Sentence For Killing His Cellmate
September 20, 2024
A convicted murderer serving life has been sentenced to another life term for killing his cellmate.
Joshua Gardner, 32, was sentenced by Circuit Judge J. Scott Duncan to a consecutive life sentence in state prison after a jury convicted him of 2nd Degree Murder.
Prosecutors said Gardner was an inmate at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution on February 1, 2020, when he brutally beat his cellmate, Jose Aparicio-Becerra.
“Becerra was found unresponsive by prison guards with injuries that included numerous facial fractures and a deformed skull. A prison official described the scene as the most gruesome thing she had witnessed in her 19 years of employment in the state prison system. Becerra was transported to a local hospital and passed away from complications of blunt force trauma,” the State Attorney’s Office said in a statement
Prosecutors said he was not eligible for the death penalty.
Gardner was sentenced to life in 2016 for a murder in Hernando County.
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
September 20, 2024
Ransom Middle School has named their August Students of the Month. They are eighth graders Josiah Forest-Ratcliff and Brynlie Fulton. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
