Man Faces Possible Life Sentence For Armed Carjacking
November 9, 2017
An Escambia County man is facing a possible life sentence for armed carjacking under Florida’s 10-20-Life.
Tyson Woodard entered a plea of no contest to carjacking with a firearm (actual possession) (10-20- Life) before Circuit Judge Gary Bergosh.
During the early morning of December 7, 2016, the victim was seated in his 2011 white Chevy truck parked outside of his hotel on Pensacola Boulevard. At that time, the Woodard approached the victim at his driver-side window and asked to us his cell phone.
Startled by the Woodard’s presence, the victim momentarily looked away and began gathering his items in an effort to exit his truck. At that time, the Woodard chambered and pointed a handgun at him. The Woodard then ordered the victim to give him his money and to get out of his truck.
Once he got out of his truck, Woodard walked behind him, still pointing a firearm at him, and then turned around and jumped into the truck and fled the scene. Within hours of this encounter, the truck was found locked and abandoned.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office processed the truck for latent fingerprints. Woodard’s prints were found on the exterior and interior of the vehicle. The victim also picked Woodard out of a photo lineup.
Judge Bergosh scheduled sentencing for January 25, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Woodard faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison.
Florida Executes Man For 1991 Murders
November 9, 2017
After the failure of last-ditch appeals, Death Row inmate Patrick Hannon was executed Wednesday night for the 1991 murders of two men in Hillsborough County.
Hannon, 53, died of lethal injection at 8:50 p.m. at Florida State Prison, according to the state Department of Corrections. The execution, originally scheduled for 6 p.m., took place after the U.S. Supreme Court issued two decisions rejecting appeals.
Earlier, Hannon’s attorneys had sought a stay of execution at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. They argued, at least in part, that new state death-penalty requirements related to the unanimity of juries should apply to his case.
But a three-judge panel of the Atlanta-based appeals court rejected Hannon’s argument, pointing to precedent from a case this year in which the state executed Death Row inmate Cary Michael Lambrix. That precedent, which stemmed from a Florida Supreme Court ruling, effectively said the new sentencing requirements should not be applied to cases before 2002.
“There (in the Lambrix case), we held that jurists of reason would not find debatable the Florida Supreme Court’s rejection of the claim that the nonretroactive application of Florida’s new sentencing statute violates the Equal Protection Clause, the Due Process Clause, or the Eighth Amendment (of the U.S. Constitution),” said the ruling by appeals-court judges Stanley Marcus, William Pryor and Beverly Martin.
Gov. Rick Scott in October scheduled the Wednesday execution of Hannon, who was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the slayings of Brandon Snider and Robert Carter.
Hannon and two other men went to the apartment where Snider and Carter lived on Jan. 10, 1991. After one of the other men attacked and stabbed Snider, Hannon was accused of cutting Snider’s throat, according to court documents. Hannon was then accused of fatally shooting Carter, who had tried to hide under a bed.
The appeals-court ruling Wednesday was rooted in a series of legal and legislative decisions that began in January 2016, when the U.S. Supreme Court found Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system unconstitutional. The crux of the U.S. Supreme Court decision was that the system gave too much power to judges, instead of juries, in sentencing people to death.
Resulting Florida Supreme Court rulings and legislation now require juries to unanimously recommend the death penalty before judges can impose death sentences. Juries also are required to unanimously agree on critical findings before death sentences can be imposed.
The Florida Supreme Court made the new sentencing requirements apply to cases since 2002. That is when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling known as Ring v. Arizona that was a premise for striking down Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system in 2016.
A jury unanimously recommended that Hannon be put to death, but it is not clear whether jurors unanimously agreed on any of the critical findings.
While agreeing Wednesday on the precedent issue, Martin wrote a concurring opinion that said Hannon’s scheduled execution was a “stark illustration of the problems with Florida’s retroactivity rule.”
“No one disputes that he was sentenced to death by a process we now recognize as unconstitutional,” Martin wrote. “Neither does anyone dispute that others who were sentenced to death under those same unconstitutional procedures are eligible for resentencing under Florida’s new law. The Florida Supreme Court’s retroactivity analysis therefore leaves the difference between life and death to turn on `either fatal or fortuitous accidents of timing.’ ”
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Scott Brings $180 Million Tax Cut Message To Escambia County
November 9, 2017
Florida Governor Rick Scott brought his tax cut message to Escambia County Wednesday.
Scott visited Global Business Solutions, Inc., an information technology company, in Pensacola to highlight his proposal for $180 million in tax cuts for Florida families as part of his 2018-2019 recommended budget. The Governor’s proposal includes sales tax holidays to help families prepare for the school year and hurricane season, and reductions to many of the fees on driver’s licenses.
Scott also announced that he will propose an amendment to Florida’s Constitution to make it harder for politicians to raise taxes by requiring a supermajority vote by future Florida legislatures to raise any taxes or fees
Pictured top: (left to right) Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry, Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Brian Wyer, Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward and (far right) Century Mayor Henry Hawkins. Pictured below: Barry, Wyer and Hawkins. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Baseball Standout To Be Inducted Into South Alabama Athletics Hall Of Fame
November 9, 2017
A former Tate High School baseball standout will be on of three All-Americans who will make up the University of South Alabama Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2017.
David Doss will be inducted in an on-campus ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 11, then be recognized on the Ladd-Peebles Stadium field at halftime of the Jaguars’ game against Arkansas State later that day. The addition of the trio brings the number of former student-athletes, coaches and administrators who have been honored to 79 since the creation of the USA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989.
A four-year baseball letterwinner from 2006-09, Doss began his career by being named to Collegiate Baseball’s Freshman All-America team and ended it with third-team All-America honors from the organization.
After being voted the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year his first season with the program, he would go on to be earn all-league honors each of his last three years at three different positions.
Doss ended his career as the Jaguars’ all-time leader in hits (312), doubles (70) and RBI (197), and he was ranked in the top 10 on the school’s all-time list with a .367 batting average, 37 home runs and 195 runs scored as well. He hit .400 as a freshman — which was fourth best in the Sun Belt — to help South to an NCAA Regional appearance, and was also among the top 10 in the conference after batting .365 as a sophomore and .378 his final year while recording 10 or more homers on three occasions and posting 10-plus doubles in each of his four seasons.
Doss played high school baseball at Tate High School and was a member of the 2005 state championship team coached by Greg Blackmon.
Ajoke Odumosu in track and field and Viktoria Stoklasova in tennis will also be inducted into the USA Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Racially Offensive Snapchat Video Shot At Tate High School Under Investigation
November 9, 2017
The Escambia County School District is investigating a racially insensitive Snapchat post made last week at Tate High School.
In the video, a white student reportedly place a laptop charging cord around the neck of a black student and scream out “white power”. The video was posted on the social media app Snapchat. After the video was reported to school administration, it was then reported to the school resource officer.
The student was not injured in the incident, with deputies noting that the victim was not restrained or chocked by the cord. The victim told deputies that he was not worried the incident and did not wish to file a report. The victim’s parents declined to press any charges as long as the student was disciplined by the school.
The student who placed the cord around the other student’s neck said it was simply a joke.
Ellison Bennett of the National Movement for Civil and Human Rights said he was angry over the video and that he will be requesting a dialogue with the school board and superintendent.
The Escambia County School District has declined to comment because it involves students and remains under investigation.
Tate High Baseball’s Trent Jeffcoat Signs With Ole Miss
November 9, 2017
Tate High School baseball player Trent Jeffcoat signed his letter of intent Wednesday Ole Miss in Division I. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Another Arthur Brown Road Bridge Closed
November 8, 2017
The Florida Department of Transportation has closed the bridge on Arthur Brown Road (CR99A) at Freeman Springs Branch immediately until further notice due to a failed inspection. Escambia County received notice from FDOT late Monday, Nov. 8. As the notice was just received, no opening date has yet been projected.
The bridge is located between Pine Forest Road and Pineville Road.
The detour from the west is South Pineville Road to Occie Philips Road to CR97A/Pine Forest Road to CR99A. The detour from the east is CR97A/Pine Forest Road to Occie Philips Road to South Pineville Road to CR99A.
In late September, the Florida Department of Transportation ordered an emergency closure of the Arthur Brown Road bridge over Boggy Creek. The bridge near the Walnut Hill Baptist Church failed two inspections. In July, work began at the location to construct a temporary road and bridge in order to construct a new permanent bridge. Work is continuing on that temporary bridge.
Crabtree Church Road Bridge Reopens To Traffic
November 8, 2017
A bridge on Crabtree Church Road in Molino has been repaired and is now open.
The Florida Department of Transportation ordered the emergency closure of the bridge over Alligator Creek, west of Sunshine Hill Road, in late August after structural deficiencies were found during a routine inspection.
Pictured: The Alligator Creek bridge on Crabtree Church in Molino has reopened. Photo by Phillip White for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Woman Indicted For Murder Of Private Investigator
November 8, 2017
An Escambia County grand jury has indicted Ashley McArthur for the first degree murder of Taylor Wright.
McArthur, 40, was arrested last month for the death of 33-year old Wright, a private investigator and former police officer. Wright’s body was found off Britt Road, just west of County Road 97 near Muscogee Road in Cantonment. Wright was reported missing to police on September 7.
On September 14, Wright’s girlfriend reported that she was missing. The girlfriend gave a sworn statement to Pensacola Police that Wright had not been seen or heard from since September 8. Prior to her disappearance, Wright had told her girlfriend that she had placed a large amount of money in a safe deposit box that belonged to McArthur, her friend. Wright said she had tried to get her money back from McArthur several times with no success. Wright was trying to get the money back from McArthur for court proceedings related to Wright’s pending divorce.
On September 8, Wright and McArthur met so Wright could get her money. Wright and the girlfriend communicated back and forth via text until about 11:20 a.m. When the girlfriend did not hear back from Wright after numerous texts, she called McArthur. McArthur answered and said Wright could not come to the phone because she was riding a horse.
The girlfriend continued to try to communicate with Wright with no success until 7:58 p.m. when she received a text from Wright’s phone stating that she needed time to think and get her life on track.
On September 18, McArthur met with a Pensacola Police detective. She told the detective that she had picked Wright up on the morning of September 8 and they drove to various locations during the day before going to McArthur’s family property in East Milton to ride horses. She said they were there for about an hour before heading back to McArthur’s residence in the Pensacola city limits about 4:45 p.m. McArthur claimed that she went inside her house, and when came back out shortly, Wright was gone.
During the investigation, McArthur’s bank records and cell phone records were obtained. Bank records show that on August 16, McArthur deposited a cashier’s check in Wright’s name for the amount of $34,000 into McArthur’s personal checking account. The money has since been spent.
On September 14, Wright’s girlfriend reported that she was missing. The girlfriend gave a sworn statement to Pensacola Police that Wright had not been seen or heard from since September 8. Prior to her disappearance, Wright had told her girlfriend that she had placed a large amount of money in a safe deposit box that belonged to McArthur, her friend. Wright said she had tried to get her money back from McArthur several times with no success. Wright was trying to get the money back from McArthur for court proceedings related to Wright’s pending divorce.
On September 8, Wright and McArthur met so Wright could get her money. Wright and the girlfriend communicated back and forth via text until about 11:20 a.m. When the girlfriend did not hear back from Wright after numerous texts, she called McArthur. McArthur answered and said Wright could not come to the phone because she was riding a horse.
The girlfriend continued to try to communicate with Wright with no success until 7:58 p.m. when she received a text from Wright’s phone stating that she needed time to think and get her life on track.
On September 18, McArthur met with a Pensacola Police detective. She told the detective that she had picked Wright up on the morning of September 8 and they drove to various locations during the day before going to McArthur’s family property in East Milton to ride horses. She said they were there for about an hour before heading back to McArthur’s residence in the Pensacola city limits about 4:45 p.m. McArthur claimed that she went inside her house, and when came back out shortly, Wright was gone.
During the investigation, McArthur’s bank records and cell phone records were obtained. Bank records show that on August 16, McArthur deposited a cashier’s check in Wright’s name for the amount of $34,000 into McArthur’s personal checking account. They money has since been spent.
McArthur’s phone records never showed her in the area of the family property in East Milton, instead her phone showed her in the area of Beulah on September 8 from 11:52 a.m. until 1:44 p.m. and again from 2:40 p.m. until 3:33 p.m. Police discovered that McArthur’s family has property at 2201 Britt Road, in the same area as her phone indicated.
Pictured top and bottom: Taylor Wright. Pictured mugshot, inset: Ashley McArthur.
Ernest Ward Middle Honors Veterans (With Photo Gallery)
November 8, 2017
Ernest Ward Middle School paused to honor veterans from the across the area Thursday morning.
The school’s chorus performed patriotic music and a special dramatic presentation centered around the men of Iwo Jima was performed by the drama class. Guest speaker was Master at Arms First Class Wartley-Banks from Pensacola.
The annual Veterans Day program at Ernest Ward is a longstanding community tradition, held annually for about the last 25 years.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pictured top: An Ernest Ward Middle School drama presentation centered around the men of Iwo Jima. Pictured inset: EWMS Assistant Principal Virkeisha Palmer performs “God Bless the USA”. Pictured below: Numerous local veterans were recognized, including World War II veteran Raymond Norris. Pictured bottom: Another scene from the Iwo Jima presentation. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
