Jay Man Killed In High Speed Century Crash Thursday Night
February 24, 2012
A Jay man died in a single vehicle crash in Century Thursday night.
Jeffery Leonard Jackson, 47, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 6 p.m. crash on Old Flomaton Road north of Campbell Road.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Jackson was northbound on Old Flomaton Road at an extremely high rate of speed. His 1994 Nissan left the roadway, at which time Jackson applied the brakes and skidded along the grass and dirt shoulder. The front of the vehicle then struck a large oak tree and came to an abrupt stop.
Jackson, according to the FHP, was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Flomaton Volunteer Fire Department, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
For more photos from the scene, click here.
Pictured above and below: A Jay man died in this single vehicle crash Thursday night in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Colder Tonight
February 24, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind between 10 and 15 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. North wind between 5 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. East wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 53. East wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy and breezy, with a high near 76.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 75.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74.
School Board Proclaims It’s National FFA Week
February 24, 2012
The Escambia County School Board has declared this week as National FFA Week. At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, FFA members from Tate and Northview high schools were on hand as the board issued a proclamation.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Beat Washingon 4-3; Tate’s JV Falls
February 24, 2012
The varsity Tate Aggies beat Washington High School Thursday night 4-3, while Washington got past Tate 4-3 in junior varsity play.
Tate 4 Washington 3 (Varsity)
The Aggies came from behind again for the second game in a row on David Moorhead’s two run double in the top of the seventh inning. Riley Hodge threw a complete game allowing three
unearned runs on three hits while striking out six. Mac Seibert 2-4 RBI. JT Granat 1-3 HR RBI. Austin Quina 1-2 2B. Andrew Mack 2B.
Tate’s varsity with host Escambia High’s Gators Friday night at 7:00 in another district matchup.
Washington 4 Tate 3 (JV)
The junior varsity Tate Aggies fell to 3-2 on the season with a 4-3 loss to Washington Thurday afternoon. The JV Aggies will host Escambia at 4:30 Friday afternoon.
State Attorney: Flomaton Chief Target Of Florida Investigation; Council To Consider Job Status
February 24, 2012
The State Attorney’s Office confirmed late Thursday that Chief Geoff McGraw is the target of their investigation into the Flomaton Police Department over an incident that occurred in Escambia County, Florida. The announcement came just days before the Flomaton Town Council is set to consider the chief’s job.
Prior to Thursday, the State Attorney’s Office had only said the department was the subject of the investigation by the State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
Assistant (Fla.) State Attorney Greg Marcille said Thursday that his office and FDLE met this week concerning the status of the case involving McGraw. “All I can say right now is that the investigation is still ongoing” he said.
NorthEscambia.com has confirmed through multiple independent sources outside the State Attorney’s Office that the investigation centers around a suspect that claims he was wrongfully detained or arrested in Century by a member or members of the Flomaton Police Department without following proper arrest and extradition procedures.
McGraw’s employment status as police chief has become the focus of multiple rumors this week in Flomaton and on internet sites like Facebook, but Mayor Dewey Bondurant told NorthEscambia.com that McGraw remains Flomaton’s police chief.
“Chief McGraw is still chief of the Flomaton Police Department,” Bondurant said. The mayor said that McGraw is out of work this week on medical leave due to a sick relative. Bondurant had no further comment concerning McGraw or the investigation.
The police chief’s position is on the agenda for discussion at next Monday night’s meeting of the Flomaton Town Council at 6:30.
“I do not have any comment at this time due to this being an ongoing investigation,” McGraw said January 26, the day before NorthEscambia.com broke the story about the State Attorney and FDLE investigation into the Flomaton Police Department.
Man Charged With Choking Girlfriend To Death
February 24, 2012
An Escambia County man is behind bars today, charged with choking his girlfriend to death Thursday evening.
Kristopher Shawn Silas, age 36 of Garden Street, is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond, charged with second degree murder.
Pensacola Police Department detectives James Gore and Chad Willhite determined Silas and his girlfriend – 40-year old Tammy Lynn Bigham –were arguing in their apartment at the Carlton Palms condominiums at Alcaniz and Garden streets. The disagreement then escalated into a physical confrontation. Silas called 911 around 5 p.m. and said he had choked his girlfriend, according to police.
Bigham died at the scene. A motive remains under investigation, and an autopsy is pending.
Golden Apple: Escambia’s Pribble Named Teacher Of The Year
February 24, 2012
Jeffrey Pribble of Escambia High School was named Escambia County’s Teacher of the Year Thursday night during the annual Golden Apple Awards dinner.
Pribble teaches English, journalism and multimedia classes at Escambia High. He has been a teacher for 16 years.
One teacher from each school in the district was nominated for the award. From the North Escambia area, nominees were: Laura Jackson, Jim Allen Elementary; Pamela Trice, Bratt Elementary; Stephanie Gilmore, Byrneville Elementary; Chet Truet, Ernest Ward Middle; Twinette McDonald, Molino Park Elementary; Sammy Day, Northview High; Karen McRae Ransom Middle; Alan Culp, Tate High; and Majorie Stradle, West Florida High.
For a complete list of nominees, click here for an earlier story.
Michael “Scotty” Hughes, Jr.
February 24, 2012
Michael “Scotty” Hughes, Jr. age 42, of Cantonment passed away on Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Scotty was born on August 12, 1969, in Covington, LA. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and all around outdoorsman. Most of all he will be remembered as a loving father, grandfather, son, brother and uncle.
Preceding him in death were his grandfathers, Allen O’Neal and J. B. Hughes and his grandmother, Ruth Hughes.
Survivors include his spouse, Angela Freund, his sons, Nick and Michael Hughes, his step-son, Robert Freund, his step-daughter, Brianne Freund, his grandson, Harlom Poole, his mother, Betty (Billy Glenn) Sells, his father, Michael (Charlotte) Hughes, Sr. , his step-father, Robert (Helen) Wright, his grandmother, Bernice O’Neal, his uncle, Chuck Hollingsworth, his aunt, Marie (Ronnie) Pitts, his aunt, Helen (Randolph) Whittington, his brothers, Bobby (Heather) Hughes and Jason (Tania) Hughes, sisters, Jennifer Hughes, Emily Hughes and Casey Wright, nephews, Jacob Hughes, Garrett Hughes, Dakota Hughes and Colby Hughes, nieces, Megan Hughes, Shelby Hughes and cousins, Robyn Parmer and Kristi Brown.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 25, 2012m at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North-Cantonment with Rev. Mark Torres officiating.
Serving, as honorary pallbearers will be Chris Cody, Scott Allen, Lloyd Bird, David Plant, Joe Zayszl and Rodney Busbee.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 Highway 29 South Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.
Twin Sisters Ask For Youthful Offender Status In Fire Deaths Of 3 Kids
February 24, 2012
The twin sisters from Atmore accused of reckless murder after their three young children died home alone in a house fire last year are now seeking youthful offender status.
Akeevia Lajoseia Abner and Tekeevia Lajoseialan Abner, both 18, were due to appear in court Thursday for an arraignment hearing. The hearing never happened after the women applied for youthful offender status.
Under Alabama law, a person under 21 that is designated as a youthful offender will waive their right to a jury trial and consent to be tried without a jury. Youthful offenders can have their sentences suspended with or without probation. The most time a youthful offender can serve in prison is three years and the longest probation term is also three years.
To determine youthful offender status, the court will perform an investigation and look a the women’s previous records. The determination process could take several months.
If tried and convicted of reckless murder as adults, the Abner twins face up to life in prison on each of three counts. Both women remain in the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton with bond set at $300,000 each.
The November 7 fire on 1st Street in Atmore claimed the lives of 3-year olds Aniyia Abner and Takia Abner, and 22-month old Michael Coleman.
A State Fire Marshal’s investigation determined the fire was caused by an unattended stove. Authorities say the mothers had left the children home alone while they were elsewhere in the neighborhood.
“They showed an extreme indifference to these children’s lives and created a grave risk of death to the children by leaving them home alone on November 2, 2011,” according to the Escambia County (Ala.) District Attorney’s Office shortly after the arrests.
Two of the children were found dead in a hallway while the third was found in a bedroom. And prosecutors said that a mattress was blocking the living room door.
Forensics evidence determined that the three young children died from smoke inhalation, authorities said.
Pictured top: Pictured bottom inset: This photo shows the oven door propped open inside the kitchen of the home. Pictured below: Three children died in a November 7 fire at this home. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
James Edward Gentry
February 24, 2012
James Edward Gentry, age 57 of Walnut Hill, peacefully went home to be with his Lord and Savior on February 24, 2012. He will be deeply missed by his family and all who knew him.
He is preceded in death by his mother and father, Betty Lou and John Edwin Gentry and a brother Terry Dean Gentry.
He is survived by his sister, Patricia Darlene Gentry; daughter, Tara Ann Gentry; sons, Jeremiah Egan Gentry, Joshua Evan Gentry, and James Ethan Gentry; nieces, Laura Michelle Gentry, Stacey Lynn Bailey and Alicia Nicole Yerg; nephews, Dustin and Drew Gentry; grandchildren, Brooklynn Gentry and Jacob Gentry; one great nephew, Michale Butler and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of friends.
Funeral services will be held Monday, February 27, 2012, at 1 p.m.from Enon Baptist Church with Rev. Chip Barbas officiating. Burial will follow with full military honors at Enon Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Buddy Beathea, Larry Gibson, Tim Gentry, Randy Dortch, George Wetherbee, Roy Thomas and Zane Grey.
Family will receive friends Sunday, February 26, 2012, from 5-7p.m. from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.