Woman Killed Her Special Needs Daughter Inside Her Hospital Room, PPD Says
August 17, 2021
A woman has been charged with allegedly killing her 14-year old special needs daughter while she was in her bed at Sacred Heart Hospital.
Jessica Bortle, 34, of Bonifay, was charged with manslaughter for the death of 14-year old Jasmine Singletary.
Pensacola Police said Singletary — a special needs patients with a neuromuscular disorder — was in her room at Sacred Heart with her grandmother and Bortle.
Jasmine unexpectedly lost consciousness and stopped breathing, police said. Hospital staff began life saving procedures, but those efforts were unsuccessful and Jasmine died.
The autopsy showed that Jasmine had suffered massive injuries to her ribs and her liver. Those injuries were not present when she was admitted to the hospital.
Pensacola Police investigators said they determined that the injuries were caused by Bortle. An arrest report states told police that she “slammed the hospital table into Singletary’s abdomen and then leaned onto the table with her weight” after she became angry after Jasmine cussed at her over color crayons.
The report indicates the grandmother gave a similar account of Singletary’s actions.
The investigation is ongoing.
“The Pensacola Police Department extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Jasmine Singletary,” the department said in a release.
“The loss of Jasmine was an unimaginable tragedy for those who loved her and it was heart-breaking for the nurses and doctors in our Children’s Hospital who cared for her. We send our deepest sympathies and our prayers for her family and all who knew her,” Ascension Sacred Heart said in a statement Tuesday morning.
ECSO Report: Man ‘Beat’ Wife, Bit Her Ear, Shot At Her As She Ran For Help
August 17, 2021
A local man is charged with assaulting his wife, “beating” her, biting her ear and shooting at her as she ran away.
William Scott Taylor Janes, 49, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery and battery domestic violence.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Enon community southwest of Walnut Hill where the victim told deputies that her husband assaulted her, bit her ear and shot at her.
Janes was taken into custody, with deputies noting in their report that he appeared to be heavily intoxicated and had blood on his pants.
The victim told deputies that Janes had been drinking heavily for days and became angry because she wanted to go to church without him. He then “beat her” and bit her ear causing a permanent injury, according to an arrest report. She refused to elaborate further on the specifics of “beat her”.
She ran toward a neighbor’s house and heard at least two gunshots as he stated that he was going to kill her, the report continues.
According to the ECSO, Janes stated that he had been drinking, went to sleep, and did not remember anything else.
Janes remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning with bond set at $95,000.
Former Walnut Hill Firefighter Named Alabama Fire Chief Of The Year
August 17, 2021
A former volunteer firefighter from Walnut Hill has been named Alabama’s fire chief of the year.
Joey Darby began his firefighting career with the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department in 1992 while he was still a senior at Ernest Ward High School. He worked his way up through the ranks, becoming a battalion chief for the Auburn Fire Department before being named chief of the Foley Fire Department in 2009.
He was recognized recently as the Fire Chief of the Year for the State of Alabama by the Alabama Association of Fire Chiefs.
“Being recognized by my peers as the 2020 Alabama Fire Chief of the Year is a great honor, and I am humbled to have been selected. I have been blessed to serve the City of Foley, and I look forward to continuing in that service,” Darby said after the ceremony.
Darby says that his initial plans were to become an electrical engineer, but those changed when he had the opportunity to work for the City of Auburn as a student firefighter while attending Auburn University.
He became active in the Alabama Association of Fire Chiefs (AAFC) in 2006, and served on the executive board for many years, including president in 2013-2014. He also served as the AAFC appointment to the Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards Commission for the past eight years.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO: Cantonment Man Assaulted Girlfriend Outside Chicken Restaurant, Fled From Deputies
August 17, 2021
A Cantonment man is facing charges after allegedly fighting with his girlfriend, driving toward her and another woman outside a local chicken restaurant and then fleeing from deputies when they caught up with him.
Bartow Kendrell Cobb, 21, was booked into the Escambia County Jail on charges of battery domestic violence, aggravated assault domestic violence, aggravated assault, grand theft, fleeing and eluding from law enforcement, and possession of marijuana.
The victim told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that she was in a verbal argument with Cobb in the parking lot of Zaxby’s just off Pine Forest Road when Cobb became violent toward her, hitting her with his fists, slapping her in the face with his open hand, and repeatedly pulling her by her hair.
Cobb then drove around the building, driving at his girlfriend and another female before tossing some of the girlfriend’s belongings out of the vehicle, according to an arrest report. She stated he kept $800 that was in the vehicle.
Deputies responded to Cobb’s address on Irene Lane in Cantonment. Bartow reportedly fled in a Ford Fusion. Deputies attempted a traffic stop with lights and sirens activated, but Cobb drove away at a high rate of speed, the report states. Deputies followed the vehicle as it turned onto Muscogee Road, south of Booker Street, to Highway 297A to Kingsfield Road. They lost sight of the vehicle in sharp curves on Kingfield Road at Westmoreland Road. They reported that vehicle reached speeds of 80 mph.
Another deputy spotted the vehicle on Nine Mile Road at Beulah Road. Deputies pursued the vehicle north on Beulah Road to Kingsfield Road. The pursuit was terminated a short time later due to high speeds.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies located Cobb a few days later at Country Inn and Suites on Wilde Lake Boulevard. When he was arrested on outstanding warrants, deputies reported finding almost 60 grams of marijuana in the room, a loaded handgun, ammunition, $539 in cash, two digital scales and two cell phones.
Cobb was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
ECSO Seeks Cantonment Catalytic Converter Thief
August 17, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help to identify a suspect that cut catalytic converters from vehicles located on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
The suspect pictured allegedly cut a catalytic converter from a vehicle parked at Faith Chapel Funeral Home on July 18. He was driving the vehicle pictured below.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.
COVID-19 Vaccine Available Wednesday In Cantonment
August 17, 2021
Community Health Northwest Florida is reopening their Brownsville vaccination clinic and will offer the COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday in Cantonment.
Community Health will hold a vaccination clinic on Wednesday at CHNWF Cantonment Pediatrics at 470 Highway 29. The Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available.
Persons wishing to participate in any CHNWF vaccination clinic may call the Community Health Vaccine Call Center at (850) 439-3358 to schedule an appointment or simply walk in at their convenience during regular operating hours.
In addition, the clinic inside the Brownsville Community Center will be open to individuals age 18 and older every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.. Participants will have the choice of the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
All participants will be required to show photo ID at time of appointment. Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days or have had symptoms of illness (fever, cough, shortness of breath) in the past 14 days should not receive the vaccine and should not enter clinic facility.
Deputies Seek Man That Robbed Pace Bank
August 17, 2021
Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office investigators are searching for a man that robbed a United Bank branch Monday afternoon.
A white male entered the bank at 3615 Highway 90 in Pace about 3:45 p.m. He fled with an undetermined amount of cash in an early 2000 style white Ford Explorer with front end damage and a black tag on the front.
The suspect was described as a thin white male, about 6-foot, two inches tall with a thin build and dark hair. He was wearing a black jacket, white t-shirt, dark jeans, dark shoes, a gray Costa Del Mar hat with a blue logo, and a black/white stripe mask.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 850-983-1190.
Tropical Storm Fred Makes Landfall
August 16, 2021
Tropical Storm Fred made landfall Monday afternoon near Cape San Blas, Florida, about 120 miles east of Pensacola (20 miles west of Apalachicola).
Maximum sustained winds were estimated at 65 mph.
The latest update on Tropical Storm Fred is in the graphics on this page.
New Car Rider Line Procedures At Beulah Elementary
August 16, 2021
Construction has started on a new multimillion dollar cafeteria at Beulah Elementary School, and that means a new car rider line procedure is now in effect.
Here’s all the info from Beulah Elementary School:
- Mobile Highway to Beulah School Road to Helms Road
- Turn Right Into the Parking Lot — No left turn during morning drop off and afternoon pick up into parking lot
- Exit the Parking Lot by Turning Left — No right turn out of the parking lot during morning drop off & afternoon pick up
- School Buses and Daycare Buses/Vans will utilize the bus ramp which is in the parking lot off of Woodside Road
- The Brown Barge Middle School and West Florida High School Bus will be in the parking lot off of Woodside Road — please utilize caution when in parking lot
- If you need to park and come into the front office during morning drop off, you will need to park in the Woodside Road parking lot. Available parking is very limited. DO NOT walk through the buses. Use the sidewalk on either side of the bus ramp.
- No parking and walking up in the parking lot off of Helms Road. Cars will be continuously moving due to drop off and pick up in this parking lot. It will be unsafe to park and walk through the parking lot.
- Drop off begins at 7:10 & the tardy bell rings at 7:35
- As long as we have staff available, we will begin drop off earlier than 7:10. When we unload early, students will report to the cafeteria to wait for the bell to ring.
- There are 315 car riders this school year. If your child is eligible to ride the school bus, we encourage you to put your child on the school bus.
- Please be patient, respectful, and safe during morning and afternoon car riders. We are loading and unloading as quickly and safely as we possibly can. Safety for ALL is our priority.
Atmore Woman Gets Federal Prison Time For Meth Distribution
August 16, 2021
An Atmore woman has been sentenced to 38 months in federal prison for her participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice.
According to court documents, 34-year old Jordan Ashley Gabel distributed methamphetamine ice she obtained from various suppliers in Baldwin County.. Gabel was implicated in two traffic stops in which she was in possession of methamphetamine ice, both conducted by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed the 38-month sentence, which amounted to a sentence of time served after giving Gabel credit for her custodial time served prior to the imposition of sentence. Judge Steele further ordered that Gabel would also serve five years on supervised release following her imprisonment. As conditions of her supervision, Gabel will undergo testing and treatment for drug abuse and a mental health evaluation, and she will be subject to a search of her person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but Judge Steele ordered that Gabel pay $100 in special assessments.