Beulah Middle School’s Leanne Jenkins Named Florida’s 2022 FFA Advisor Of The Year
June 15, 2022
Beulah Middle School’s Leanne Jenkins has been named Florida’s 2022 FFA Advisor of the Year.
Jay High School FFA advisor Kaylen Finley was also among the five statewide nominees.
The award recognizes educators who have made a positive difference in the lives of their students. Individuals nominated must have taught for at least three years and have provided outstanding service to their FFA chapter, agricultural industry, and agricultural education.
The announcement was made Tuesday night at the 94th Florida FFA State Convention at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando.
Pictured above: Beulah Middle School’s Leanne Jenkins was named Florida’s 2022 FFA Advisor of the Year. Pictured below: Jenkins celebrates with her Beulah Middle FFA members Tuesday night in Orlando. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO: Cantonment Vehicle Burglary Suspects Caught On Camera Using Stolen Credit Card
June 15, 2022
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate several car burglaries in Cantonment and Gonzalez.
As we previously reported, the burglaries occurred early Monday morning in the area of Kingsfield Road, Chemstrand Road, and Old Chemstrand Road. All of the vehicles were reported to be unlocked.
Investigators said the suspects in these newly released photos used a credit card that was stolen from one of the vehicles to make a purchase at a store located in the 200 block of Highway 29.
The pictured vehicle below was seen in the area during these burglaries. The ECSO said one of the individuals in the vehicle appears to be a white male wearing a long-sleeved Champion shirt, blue shorts, black shoes, and a blue ski mask.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Trial Underway For Cantonment Man Charged With Murdering His Navy Wife In 2001
June 15, 2022
Trial is underway this week for a Cantonment man indicted in 2020 for the murder of his wife over two decades ago.
An Escambia County grand jury indicted Gregory Paul Malarik, now 59, for first degree premeditated murder with a firearm. His trial before Judge John Simon is expected to continue through at least Thursday.
Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrested Malarik for the 2001 murder of his wife, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Sherri Malarik. Gregory Malarik, a former Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, was employed by the Naval Aviation Technical Training Center aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola.
The body of Sherri Lynn Malarik was found September 22, 2001, at about 8 a.m. inside a Dodge Caravan in the parking lot of the Winn Dixie and Movie Gallery at 1550 South Highway 29, less than three miles from the couple’s home. She was found by her brother-in-law, Jeff Leake.
“It was unlocked, I opened it and I was screaming ‘Sherri’ and I touched her and kind of shook her arm a little bit,” Leake said. “She didn’t move.”
An autopsy found that she was murdered – shot twice in the head with a .25 caliber handgun. She was found in the floorboard of the van. Forensic evidence indicated that she was shot while seated in the passenger seat.
The investigation revealed he was engaged in an extramarital affair with Jennifer Spohn who, at that time, was his co-worker. Spohn later disclosed that he wanted to end the marriage but, having previously been married, did not want to go through another divorce proceeding. She related a conversation to investigators in which Gregory Malarick suggested he should just kill Sherri.
Investigators said they believed Gregory Malarik drove Sherri Malarik to the Winn Dixie in the minivan. Gregory told Sphon to meet him later that evening at the Winn Dixie to pick him up. When Spohn arrived at Winn Dixie at the appointed time, Gregory was there with the van, got into her vehicle, and told her to drive normally. Once out on Highway 29, Gregory discarded what appeared to be a long-haired wig. Spohn then dropped Gregory off at the marital residence.
Swabs taken from his hands the day of the murder were positive for gunshot residue, and pants believed to have been worn the night of the murder were found to have gunpowder in the left front pocket, the report states.
In 2017, a NCIS investigator examined phone records from the Malarik residence from the night of September 21, 2001. He found that multiple calls were made at 6:29 p.m., 7:59 p.m., 8 p.m. at 8:47 p.m. “This provided two periods of time sufficient for Malarik to have committed the homicide, transported (Sherri) Malarik’s body to Winn Dixie, and returned home,” the report states.
The .25 caliber handgun used in the murder was never recovered, but the investigation revealed Gregory Malarik owned such a weapon at the time of the homicide.
The arrest report states that emails recovered show Gregory Malarik and his mistress had discussed “how to trick a polygraph” as early July 31, 2001.
An email from Sherri Malarik to her sister stated: “I believe that there is spiritual warfare going on in my home and Greg just can’t see it…He is simply upset because he feel that I put other people before him when I listed to the possibility of masonry being something other than it seems…He feels as if I betrayed him. Please keep us in your prayers…we need all the help we can get.”
Spohn was re-interviewed in May 7, 2002, and gave a similar account to her 2001 statements. Spohn was interviewed again on March 6, 2020, during which she gave testimony that was inconsistent with her original statement, the arrest report states, leading investigators to believe her original statement about returning a lawn mower was a cover story. Those statements were redacted. Investigators believe she assisted in the homicide and the destruction of evidence which had been preplanned, possibility for several months as indicated by emails.
Spohn was offered immunity for her testimony.
NWE All-Stars Win 10U District Championship
June 15, 2022
The Northwest Escambia 10U All-Stars won the Cal Ripken 10U District 7 Championship. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Extend Their South Division Lead With Shutout Of Tennessee
June 15, 2022
A.J. Ladwig continued his dominant month with 7.0 shutout innings as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos blanked the Tennessee Smokies 3-0 on Tuesday night.
At one hour and 55 minutes, the contest was the second-fastest nine-inning game in team history and the fastest at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos extended their lead in the South Division to 4.0 with 11 to play in the first half, pending other results in the league.
Ladwig (W, 2-0) allowed a Chase Strumpf first-pitch double off the center field wall to begin the ballgame, but stranded him at third in a sign of things to come. The Smokies out-hit the Blue Wahoos 7 to 4, but went 0-for-6 with men in scoring position.
After two perfect innings from Smokies starter Ryan Jensen, Dalton Stambaugh (L, 3-1) took over and continued to keep the Blue Wahoos in check. Pensacola’s first hit left the yard, however, as Troy Johnston went deep off the scoreboard in right field in the fourth inning for a 1-0 lead.
Ladwig needed only 82 pitches to breeze through seven shutout innings, giving him 13.0 innings in the month of June without an earned run.
Pensacola added two more in the seventh on a two-run single from Norel González, and that was more than enough for Josh Simpson (S, 1). The lefty struck out four batters for a six-out save, his first of the season.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Tennessee Smokies on Wednesday.
by Eric Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Delayed Bellview Library Expected To Open In August (With Gallery)
June 14, 2022
The completion of the new Bellview Library is overdue, but the grand opening day is getting closer.
‘We are knocking on the door,” Escambia County Interim Administrator Wes Moreno said. “We are still waiting on some windows and such to come in.”
The $3.8 million plus library was due to open in the spring, but materials delays have pushed that date out to likely August.
“We wish it was coming together a little bit faster, but like every other project we’re doing right now, we are waiting on materials,” Moreno said. One of the biggest delays has been windows; several triangular window openings around the building are covered with plywood.
The main portion of the library will consist of a large open space that is divided into areas such as a lobby, a story time area, a youth area and an adult reading area. This large open space will provide entrances to other support spaces such as multiple study rooms, staff rooms, a computer area and a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) room. The development of the building’s façade was inspired by origami, the art of folding paper, which is why there are angles throughout the building.
“This is a long-needed amenity for the west side of Pensacola and District 1,” D1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh said. “It’s been a longtime coming, and I’ll be proud to get it done.”
At 12,000 square feet, the library is located on about four acres at 6425 Mobile Highway, near Bellview Elementary and Bellview Middle schools. About 2,000 square feet of the structure is a former bank; the remainder is a new addition.
For more photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Six Charged After ‘Criminal Outlaw’ Biker Gang Beats Man During ‘Vicious Bar Brawl’ In Century
June 14, 2022
Six people have now been arrested for what the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is calling a “vicious bar brawl” that occurred May 7 in Century. Several of the suspects are “documented criminal outlaw motorcycle gang members”, according to ECSO.
One person was transported to the hospital following the violent fight at Odom’s Bar in the 9500 block of North Century Boulevard. The victim was found outside the bar covered in blood with several injuries to his face, according to deputies.Surveillance video is below.
John Percy Johnson, age 45 of Century; Bradley Scott Griener, age 31 of McDavid; Brody Luke Trainer, age 44 of Gulf Breeze; Robert Tyler Dean, age 54 of Pace; and Preston David Perry, age 31 of Pace were each charged with aggravated battery. Dean, Perry and Trainer were also charged with additional felony battery and/or assault counts. All five were released from jail on bonds ranging from $25,000 to $150,000.
The sixth suspect, 44-year old Steven R Jay Arnold of Brewton, turned himself in at the jail Monday on charges of aggravated battery with the use of a deadly weapon, aggravated battery for causing great bodily harm, and aggravated assault for use of a deadly weapon with the intent to kill.
The victim’s girlfriend told deputies that he was attacked by several bikers outside the bar where six or seven alleged bikers were kicking and stomping him. One allegedly pointed a gun during the attack.
The victim told investigators that he had been having an ongoing issue with “Percy Johnson” and the two ran into each other at the bar. He said Johnson told him to step outside where he was attacked by approximately five bikers wearing Outlaw motorcycle gang clothing. In addition to punching, kicking and stomping him, “one of the individuals pressed a firearm into his eyeball and stated they would kill him if he talked to the police and that not to mess with their biker family”, an arrest report states.
After the victim made a statement that he was going to sue the bar, a man believed to be the bar’s bouncer along with three or four other males began to beat him again, the report states. After the attacks, the girlfriend was approached by a white female wearing a biker vest who informed her that if she talked to law enforcement, it would “not be pretty for her”, the report continues.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office obtained search warrants and seized video recordings from the bar.
An ECSO investigator said in his report that the videos show the victim and Johnson walk outside the bar, followed by at least seven other people, most of whom were wearing insignia consistent with criminal outlaw motorcycle gangs to include the Southern Saints and Outlaws.
The altercation was captured on video (posted below), showing the victim kicked, punched, and stomped on several times by numerous individuals, the ECSO report states. The victim remains on the ground for over 15 minutes, apparently unconscious until medical personnel arrive on scene.
The victim suffered a broken arm, broken nasal cavities and lost feeling in his lower back and leg, he told deputies. He stated that when the gun was pressed into his eye, he was told “If you talk to the police, we will kill you”.
The five suspects were released from jail on bonds as follows: Johnson -$25,000; Griener – $35,000; Trainer – $150,000; Dean – $65,000; Perry – $85,000; Arnold – $65,000.
Video below has no sound.
26-Year Old Killed In Sorrento Road Wreck
June 14, 2022
An Escambia County man was killed on a crash Monday afternoon on Sorrento Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 26-year old man was traveling westbound on Sorrento Road near Nighthawk Lane when he failed to maintain a single lane and crossed the centerline. His Chevrolet Impala collided with a Lexus RX driven by a 67-year old Pensacola woman.
The 26-year old was pronounced deceased at the scene. The woman was transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
Century Man Accused Of The Battery Of An Older Adult In Wheelchair
June 14, 2022
A Century man is accused of the battery of an older adult in a wheelchair.
Phillip Blake Moore, 34, was charged with felony battery on a person 65 years of age or older.
Moore allegedly punched the victim in the side of his head, grabbed him around his neck and “slammed him in his wheelchair”, according to an arrest report.
“I located Moore inside the residence lying in his bed speaking incoherently. Due to previous dealings I have had with Moore, I know this is a normal behavior for him so I did not attempt to ask Moore any questions,” the responding deputy wrote.
The victim was able to leave the house and call for help. He refused treatment from EMS.
Moore remained in the Escambia County Jail early Tuesday with bond set at $25,000.
Woman Run Over By Her SUV When She Reportedly Tried To Save A Turtle
June 14, 2022
A woman was seriously injured Monday afternoon when she stopped to save a turtle and was run over by her own vehicle.
The accident happened about 5:10 p.m. on Jacks Branch Road just north of Annie Bell Drive.
A witness said the adult female stopped quickly in the roadway and got out of her SUV to save a turtle on the road. She apparently failed to put the vehicle in park, and it continued forward. The witness said the woman was unable to get out of the way, and the SUV rolled over her while she was in the roadway.
The woman was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital by ShandsCair medical helicopter.
The SUV continued off the roadway and down a slight hill where it was stopped near a residence.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Cantonment and Beulah stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
The outcome for the turtle was not known.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
