Suspect Shot By Poarch Police Is Named As Charges Are Filed (With Photo Gallery)
January 12, 2021
The multi-county carjacking suspect shot Friday morning by Poarch Creek Police north of Atmore has been named as the first charges were filed against him.
Jose Rodriguez Xalate, of Hilltop, Minnesota, has been charged by the Greenville (AL) Police Department with two counts of first degree robbery and two counts of first degree theft. Xalate is expected to face additional charges from other Alabama jurisdictions, but at last report he remained hospitalized.
The shooting occurred Friday morning in the parking lot of the Creek Travel Plaza located at I-65 and Jack Springs Road, about a mile from the Poarch Creek Indian Reservation.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Xalate was shot by a Poarch Creek Tribal Police officer and transported to an area hospital for treatment. An update on the suspect’s condition has not been provided. No officers were injured.
According to Wetumpka (AL) Assistant Police Chief Earl Reeves, their first contact with Xalate was during suspicious persons call at 5:15 p.m. Thursday. Xalate told police officers he had just been discharged from a hospital and was waiting on a ride. Police said his story was verified, and he was told not to panhandle or harass anyone.
At 5:41 a man driving a Nissan Armada left his vehicle running as he went inside the Pace Car Gas Station in Wetumpka. Xalate allegedly jumped in and drove away with an assault rifle that had been left in the vehicle, according to AL.com.
The suspect took the Armada to Evergreen where it was discovered abandoned at 10:40 p.m. but the assault rifle was missing. He then reportedly then took another vehicle at gunpoint and drove to north to Greenville, Alabama.
Xalate then carjacked a vehicle at a gas station in Greenville near I-65, according to Greenville Police Chief Justin Lovvorn. He then carjacked another vehicle at a Murphy gas station at the Greenville Walmart, also near I-65.
Lovvorn said Greenville Police pinged the location of vehicle and discovered it was near Atmore. Poarch Creek Police located the vehicle in the Creek Travel Plaza parking lot, where Xalate attempted to run over the officer, according to Greenville Police. The Poarch officer then shot Xalate.
“After being approached by uniformed officers and marked patrol vehicles, an altercation ensued forcing officers to discharge their firearms,” Escambia County (AL) Sheriff Heath Jackson said.
A Chevrolet vehicle with the windows shot out was directly in front of the truck stop’s diner. Multiple shell casings could be seen in the parking lot, and about a dozen bullet holes were in the windows of the diner.
An assault-style rifle was removed from the scene by law enforcement.
Special agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) are investigating the officer involved shooting. SBI said the results of their investigation will be turned over to the Escambia County (AL) District Attorney’s Office for review.
The Creek Travel Plaza is owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, but is not located on the reservation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tom Thumb Temporarily Closed Store On Highway 29 At West Roberts Due To COVID-19 Case
January 12, 2021
Tom Thumb said Monday that they closed their store at Highway 29 and West Roberts Road after a team member informed them of a positive COVID-19 test.
The store was closed at 4 p.m. Friday to be cleaned and sanitized by an industrial cleaning crew. The store has since reopened.
“We are grateful to all our customers for your patience and understanding during this time,” Tom Thumb said. “We are making every effort to provide the affected Team Member and our broader team with the necessary resources and support.”
Another Escambia County Tom Thumb was also closed due to COVID-19 on Monday. The store at 5450 Saufley Field Road was closed for cleaning after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power And Florida Power & Light To Ask State To Approve Merged Power Rates
January 12, 2021
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) plans to file a formal request in the coming months for new base rates for all customers, including Gulf Power.
FPL’s parent company NextEra purchased Gulf Power in 2019, and the companies legally merged on January 1, 2021. FPL now serves 5.6 million customer accounts from Miami to Pensacola across more than half of Florida.
Through the consolidation of FPL and Gulf Power, the typical residential customer bill in Northwest Florida is projected to decrease by the end of FPL’s proposed four-year rate plan. FPL customers currently pay $99 for the 1,000-kWh typical bill bench mark, while Gulf Power customers pay $140.
The proposal FPL plans to file with the Florida Public Service Commission will include:
- In 2022, an adjustment to base rates to generate approximately $1.1 billion.
- In 2023, another adjustment would generate approximately $615 million.
- In 2024 and 2025, a request will be made to recover solar projects each year. That, FPL estimates, will cost customers $140 million in both 2024 and 2025, which would be partially offset by a reduction in fuel costs on customer bills.
FPL said monthly customer would still remain below the national average if the PSC approves the plan.
While now part of FPL, the Gulf Power name will remain for now in Northwest Florida.
Update: Gonzalez Teen Missing For A Month Has Been Located
January 12, 2021
UPDATE: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has located Gonzalez teen that was missing for a month before someone called them to file a report.
The Sheriff’s Office said 14-year-old Jordan Winfield Smith was safely located but did not provide any additional information.
He was last seen on December 8 in an area along Jack Kaufman Lane in Gonzalez, just east of Ashton Brosnaham Park. No one reported the teen missing until last Thursday, January 7.
\
Located Safe: Missing Endangered Man Last Seen In Cantonment Area
January 11, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday afternooon a missing endangered adult last seen in Cantonment has been located safe.
Patrick Edward Wilkes, 36, was last seen in the 2000 block of Winners Circle off East Kingsfield Road about 7:30 a.m. Monday.
The Sheriff’s Office did not provide any additional details.
Gulf Power To Begin Construction On Huge North Escambia Solar Farm Soon; Second Solar Farm Planned Nearby
January 11, 2021
Gulf Power will begin construction on a huge solar farm near McDavid in the next few months, and NorthEscambia.com has learned plans are in the works for a second solar facility in the same area.
At 74.2 megawatts, the Cotton Creek Creek Solar Energy Center will generate enough electricity to power 15,000 homes annually, according to Gulf Power. The Escambia County Development Review Committee granted approval for the Cotton Creek solar farm in November 2020.
“We are excited to announce that construction will begin on Cotton Creek in the late part of the first quarter of this year or early part of the second quarter,” Gulf Power spokesperson Kimberly Blair said. “However, you may see some site preparation work being done before the start of construction. Our anticipated completion date is the end of 2021.”
NorthEscambia.com was first to report in December 2019 that facility was planned for West Bogia Road. Documents show the project to be about 640 acres, only 353.18 acres of which will be disturbed. The development is planned for an area north of West Bogia Road between South Pine Barren Road and Highway 29, just west of Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church.
And now Gulf Power is seeking the necessary permits for the First City Solar Energy Center off Holland, Cox and Roach roads in McDavid. It will be 74.5 megawatts, also enough to power another 15,000 homes annually.
“We are in the early stages of developing the proposed First City Solar Energy Center on our company-owned property in North Escambia,” Blair said. “We are currently applying for permits to construct the 74.5 megawatt site. We won’t have a construction start date for First City until the permitting is approved.”
The First City Solar Center will encompass about 554 acres with about 458 acres to be disturbed for approximately 300,000 solar panels.
Both projects are expected to create 200-250 jobs during peak construction.
Pictured top: Plans for the First City Solar Energy Center. Pictured below: Plans for the Cotton Creek Solar Energy Center. NorthEscambia.com graphics.
Crash Claims Life Of Escambia County Woman
January 11, 2021
An Escambia County woman died in an early morning crash Sunday.
It happened about 2 a.m. on Navy Boulevard near Chaseville Street.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 35-year old woman was travel east on Navy Boulevard when she lost control and ran off the roadway. Her SUV struck a business sign before colliding with a concrete pole. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Florida Highway Patrol no longer releases the names of traffic accident victims.
Florida Gas Prices Up By About A Dime In The Past Week
January 11, 2021
Florida gas prices increased by more a dime last week. Florida drivers are now paying $2.30 per gallon at the pump on average.
The state average is 11 cents more than last week and 16 cents more than last month. Even still, Florida drivers are paying 21 cents per gallon less than this time last year.
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in Escambia County was $2.25. The lowest price in North Escambia Sunday night was $2.17 at a station on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
“Florida drivers are now finding some of the highest prices at the pump since March 2020,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Prices are still being propped up by continued optimism in the fuel market, because of the long-term hopes that a vaccine will help struggling demand recover. Also motivating the market is Saudi Arabia’s agreement to cut crude oil production, which helped drive oil prices to an 11-month high.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Habitat Closes On 29 Homes In 2020
January 11, 2021
Amid the great local need for affordable homeownership, Pensacola Habitat finished up the year with 29 closings despite the pandemic and challenging hurricane season.
Though delays and setbacks had occurred with less than average volunteer participation due to COVID-19 safety precautions, the 29 closings took place. Three of them were on December 16, just in time for Christmas.
“The experience with [Pensacola] Habitat was an amazing adventure. There was some good and not necessarily bad, just setbacks”, said Danielle Johnson, one of the three homeowners who closed on their home in December.
Johnson, a single mother of three, put forth the sweat equity hours, attended the required classes and paid her down payment to complete the program and purchased her own affordable home. She and her children were able to spend their first Christmas in their brand-new house in Northeast Pensacola.
“It can be frustrating; however, the good side is it always came out good. We have to remember that God has perfect timing. To have something of my own for my children is amazing. I’m so thankful for everything. The thing that tops it all is that my kids have their own rooms!” Johnson continued.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggie Cheerleaders Win Regional Championship
January 11, 2021
The Tate High School Aggie Cheerleaders won the FHSAA Region 1 Championship for the Medium Varsity All-Girl Division over the weekend, their fourth regional championship in a row.
The Aggie cheerleaders will advance to the state finals in two weeks. In December, the squad earned a bid to nationals.
The Tate varsity cheerleaders are:
- Kyndell Ammons
- Landry Bellard
- Lanie Brown
- Jaiden Bryant
- Lauren Freeman (co-captain)
- Hagyn Helton
- Erin Johnson
- Karigan Kowal
- Paige McKinney
- Emily McNair
- Ashlyn NeSmith (Captain)
- Lainey Patrick
- Emma Romero
- Alyssa Roye
- Angelena Tamoria
- Morgan Warrington (co-captain)
Last school year, the Tate Aggie cheerleaders won a state championship and placed fifth in the nation.
Photo for NorthEsambia.com, click to enlarge.