Wahoos Take Series Opener Against Mobile, 2-1
June 14, 2018
Brain O’Grady drove in Shed Long with a sac fly in the bottom of the ninth to give the Blue Wahoos a 2-1 walk-off win over the Mobile BayBears in Wednesday night’s series opener at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola began its comeback in the bottom of the eighth inning while trailing 1-0 against Mobile. Chris Okey smashed a solo home run over the left field wall to tie the game at 1-1. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shed Long led off with a double. He advanced to third on a passed ball. Narciso Crook was intentionally walked before O’Grady came through on a two-strike pitch. Right fielder Brandon Sanger made a sliding catch on the shallow fly ball, but his throw was way too late to get Long, sparking the Blue Wahoos celebration.
Pensacola got both runs off Mobile reliever Greg Mahle (L, 3-1), the brother of former Wahoo and current Red Tyler Mahle, who was saddled with the loss.
Seth Varner pitched an excellent game for the Wahoos. Varner pitched 6.2 innings and allowed only one run on three hits, and one walk. Varner finished with a season-high nine strikeouts, which was one shy of tying his career-high at 10. Alex Powers (W, 1-1) is credited with the win as he retired all three Mobile batters in the top of the ninth, producing two strikeouts in his one inning pitched.
BayBears starter Jason Alexander had a solid outing for Mobile. Alexander pitched six innings and only had one hit with no runs, two walks and six strikeouts in a no-decision.
Pensacola center-fielder C.J. McElroy left the game in the top of the first inning after he collided with the wall while making a spectacular catch on the second batter of the game.
The series continues Thursday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Right hander Daniel Wright (2-4, 5.05) will get the start for the Wahoos against BayBears RHP Luis Pena (2-4, 4.27).
Two Injured In Highway 29 Rollover Crash
June 13, 2018
Two people were injured in a Highway 29 rollover crash late Wednesday evening. Both were transported by Escambia County EMS to a Pensacola hospital with injuries that were not considered serious.
The accident happened about 7:15 p.m. on Highway 29 at Pensacola Ready Mix. The two injured individuals were briefly trapped in their SUV following the crash and extricated by firefighters. The driver of a pickup truck involved in the crash was not injured.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; they have not released further details.
The Ensley and Cantonment stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
For more photos, click to enlarge.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
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Update: Vehicle Theft Suspects Arrested After McDavid Hunt
June 13, 2018
A search near McDavid Wednesday ended with the arrest of two teens for stealing a truck.
Devin Jackson, 18, and Kaige Dykes 17, were charged with grand theft, criminal mischief and resisting arrest. The truck was recovered on Highway 29 near Cotton Lake Road between McDavid and Molino Wednesday morning.
Further details were not available.
Editor’s note: A suspect name previously provided to NorthEscambia.com in electronic communication from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was incorrect. That person had no known connection to this incident.
Suspects Plead Not Guilty To Charges In Walnut Hill Double Shooting
June 13, 2018
The three suspects in a Walnut Hill murder have entered not guilty pleas to the charges against them.
Christopher Alan Stacey, 37, pleaded not guilty to homicide and attempted homicide. His son Christopher James Logan Stacey, 18, and Alexis Ileene Shiffner Cain, 21, pleaded not guilty to accessory to homicide and accessory to attempted homicide. They are scheduled to arraigned late this month.
Their arrests came after two men were found shot in the head near Atmore on Sunday, June 3.
Dalton Davis was found dead in a truck in Brushy Creek on Deere Creek Road, and Troy Boutwell was found near the road after crawling from the truck, according to an arrest report. He was airlifted to the USA Medical Center in Mobile in critical condition and later released.
Alabama detectives learned that Boutwelll had been at his friend’s house in the 5900 block of Highway 164, just east of Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. Deputies responded to find the three suspects and another individual in the home.
An Escambia County, FL, investigator was contacted by Atmore Police to relay information on the shooting location. He instructed deputies to respond to the home where they found a couch burning in the backyard (photo below). Deputies extinguished the fire. Victim Boutwell later said he was shot on the couch in the home’s living room of the home, which is about nine miles from where the men were found with the truck.
According to the report, an AR-15 was found in one of the bedrooms and a 12 gauge shotgun was found in another bedroom. The report does not specify if either was the murder weapon. A bullet hole was found in an interior wall.
Christopher Alan Stacey was seated on a bucket across the road from the residence watching as investigators processed the crime scene, while his son sat a wooden chair in front of a neighboring home (both pictured below). Cain was placed in the back of an ECSO patrol vehicle as investigators worked.
Florida investigators also responded to the truck at Brushy Creek on Deere Creek Road in Alabama to process that crime scene with Alabama agencies. The straight-line location of the truck was about 1,000 feet north of Alabama-Florida State line.
Christopher Alan Stacey is the ex-husband of the witness and resides with her at the home on Highway 164. Boutwell told law enforcement that he was shot because of an argument with her ex-husband. The son, Christopher James Logan Stacey, also resides in the home, the report states.
Further details were redacted from the arrest reports by the State Attorney’s Office.
Daily Downpours In Our North Escambia Weather Forecast
June 13, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Malfunctioning Railroad Crossing Signal Backs Up Highway 29 Traffic
June 13, 2018
Traffic backed up once again Tuesday at the Highway 29 railroad crossing at International Paper in Cantonment, reportedly due to a signal malfunction.
NorthEscambia.com reached out to the Florida Department of Transportation and CSX to find out who is responsible for maintaining the signal in proper working condition.
Tanya Branton, public information specialist for FDOT, said the responsibility lies with the railroad. CSX did not respond.
Several North Escambia residents told us early Tuesday afternoon the traffic backup extended well over a mile because the northbound crossing arm was down, while the southbound crossing arm was up. Last week, drivers reported a delay of up to 45 minutes.
Pictured top: Northbound Highway 29 traffic backed up due to a malfunctioning railroad crossing early Tuesday afternoon. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tiger Basketball’s Prewett To Headline Auburn Club Dinner Meeting
June 13, 2018
Chad Prewett will be the guest speaker Thursday for a dinner meeting of the Escambia County (AL) Auburn Club.
Prewett is the director of basketball operations for Auburn University. Prewett is entering his fourth season on head coach Bruce Pearl’s staff and was promoted to director of basketball operations in April 2017. Pearl announced this week that Prewett will be back for the upcoming season.
Prewett started his coaching career at Escambia Academy in Canoe, just outside Atmore. From 1995-2004, he was a coach for the basketball, football, golf and track teams and added the title of Athletics Director from 1998-04. Escambia was awarded the AISA Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Program in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Check-in for the meeting begins at 5:30 at Wind Creek in Atmore, with dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 for adults, $15 for children under 12. Tickets are available at United Bank in Atmore and Flomaton, First National Bank and Trust in Atmore, Gregg’s Salon in Atmore and Talula Belles in Brewton.
Courtesy image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
White Makes $1.25 Million Contribution To His Attorney General Campaign
June 13, 2018
Republican Frank White, who has started a million-dollar ad run in his bid for attorney general, reported his campaign brought in more than $1.3 million in May, with much of the money coming from his own checkbook.
White’s monthly total topped the rest of the Republican field seeking to replace term-limited Attorney General Pam Bondi.
White, a state House member from Pensacola who also serves as general counsel and chief financial officer for the chain of Sandy Sansing auto dealerships, added $1.25 million of his own money into the contest on May 29.
The Sansing dealerships and White’s in-laws, who own the chain, have given at least $204,000 to the campaign and a closely aligned political committee known as United Conservatives but weren’t among the May contributors. However, White drew $27,750 from 14 auto dealers and dealerships across the state.
He also picked up $10,000 contributions from a Florida Insurance Council political committee and the Florida Prosperity Fund, which is tied to the business group Associated Industries of Florida.
White also put $1.5 million of his own money into the contest in October. Hs campaign and United Conservatives had an overall total of $3.4 million on hand as June began.
Last week, White’s campaign announced a $1 million TV ad campaign, titled “Hold Accountable,” which pushes his conservative views.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Molino 8U Team Takes Second In GCYB Tourney
June 13, 2018
This Molino 8U All Stars team took second in a recent Gulf Coast Youth Baseball tournament. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Area First Responders Honored
June 13, 2018
First responders were honored during a recent cookout at Atmore First Assembly of God. Hundreds of people joined together to show their appreciate to first responders from multiple agencies in Alabama and Florida. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
