John Alwin Vanlandingham
March 14, 2018
Dr. John Alwin Vanlandingham, age 79, of Flomaton, AL, passed away on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital in Brewton, AL.
Dr. Vanlandingham was a native of Marianna, FL, and had been a member of the Flomaton community since 1974 coming from Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was a graduate of the 1956 Class of Milton High School, a 1960 graduate of Asbury College, and a 1970 graduate of the University of Michigan School of Medicine. Dr. Vanlandingham was a physician for 46 years. In his search for “eternal studies” he enjoyed reading books on theoretical physics and mathematics, playing the piano, mechanics, photographing wildflowers in their natural environment. Dr. Vanlandingham enjoyed traveling on the many motorcycles that he owned. He was of the Methodist and Baptist faiths and was a member of First Baptist Church of Flomaton. He is preceded in death by his parents, Rev. A.H. and Ernestine Chapman Vanlandingham.
He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Wanda Hart Vanlandingham of Flomaton, AL; sons, Joshua (Ivy) Vanlandingham of Molino, FL and Jared (Partner, Andres) Vanlandingham of Brooklyn, NY; brothers, Charles (Marcheta) Vanlandingham of Milton, FL and Frank (Genia) Vanlandingham of Geneva, AL.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 17, 2018 at First Baptist Church of Flomaton from 12:30 P.M. until a 3 P.M. service with Dr. Tim Tew officiating.
Interment will follow in Flomaton Cemetery, Flomaton, AL.
Pallbearers will be Joshua Vanlandingham, Jared Vanlandingham, Damon Vanlandingham, Grant Vanlandingham, Terry Stanford, Wayne Washburn.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Abernathy Park Fund P.O. Box 632 Flomaton, AL 36441.
FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report: Baiting Deer, Shooting A Gray Fox
March 14, 2018
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement recently reported the following activity during the period ending March 1 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
No report was submitted for Escambia County.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Jones issued a citation to a subject for the charges of entering a closed area and attempting to take deer over bait on a management area on the Eglin Wildlife Management Area. Lieutenant Berryman and Officer Mullins assisted Officer Jones in the investigation which led to the charges.
FWC Dispatch received multiple complaints regarding a subject who shot a gray fox. Several officers began working the case and gathering information including Officers Mullins, Hoomes, Roberson and Jones. Officer Mullins contacted the subject and met with him about the fox. The subject admitted to Officers Mullins and Jones that he shot the fox. The officers went back with the subject to where the carcass had been discarded and located the fox, as well as the spent buckshot casing. After reviewing the evidence, charges were filed on the subject by Officer Mullins for killing a gray fox.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
ECSO: Man Shot In Cantonment During Drug Deal Gone Bad
March 13, 2018
One person was shot in Cantonment Tuesday afternoon during what the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said was a drug deal gone bad.
An adult male was shot about 3:45 p.m. at a home in the 400 block of Well Line Road, near Lakeview Avenue.
“It appears he was involved is some type of drug transaction,” Major Andrew Hobbs of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said shortly after the shooting. “Deputies on scene were working to determine a possible suspect.”
The victim was transported by ambulance to a Pensacola hospital with injuries that were not considered life threatening.
Pictured above: One man was shot at a home on Well Line Road in Cantonment Tuesday afternoon. Pictured below: Deputies and K-9 search for a suspected near the Harvester Home Park, located just behind the shooting location. There were no apparent arrests at this location. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
No Injuries As Fire Destroys Atmore Home
March 13, 2018
A Tuesday morning fire destroyed a home in Atmore.
Working smoke detectors are being credited for allowing the homeowner to escape the home on 12th Avenue without injuries. The exact cause of the 7:15 a.m. fire has not been released
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
One Dead, Multiple Injuries When Charter Bus Crashes Into I-10 Ravine
March 13, 2018
NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo.
A bus driver was killed early Tuesday morning when a charter bus loaded with high school students from Texas plunged about 60-feet into an Alabama ravine on I-10 between Wilcox Road and the Florida state line.
About 45 band members and adults from the Channelview High School Falcon Band from northeast Houston were on the bus, returning from a trip to Disney World in Orlando. A second bus with band students was not involved.
It’s not yet known whey the bus traveled into the median and crashed into the ravine near a creek about 5:30 a.m.. Rescue efforts were completed about three hours later. Multiple people were transported by ambulances and helicopters to about 10 hospitals from Pensacola to Mobile. Multiple people were taken to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. The last victim airlifted to the hospital just before 9 a.m.
Bus driver Harry Caligone was pronounced deceased at the scene. He was a longtime employee of First Class Tours.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: The scene of an early morning bus wreck on I-10 early Tuesday morning. Pictured bottom: The Channelview High School Falcon Band at Disney on Monday. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos by Kristi Barbour, and photos by Jesus Tejeda and others for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo.
NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo.
NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo.
NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo.
Fire Destroys Beulah Home
March 13, 2018
A Tuesday morning fire destroyed a home in Beulah.
The fire in the 9000 block of Windy Hill Drive off Frank Reeder Road was reported just before 8:30 a.m. The home was fully involved in flames as firefighters arrived just minutes later.
There was no immediate report of any injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Beulah, Bellview, Ensley, Cantonment and Ferry Pass stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Navy Fire and Escambia County EMS responded to the call.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cold Nights Continue
March 13, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 63. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 35. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Patchy frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 63. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Patchy frost after 3am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 32. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Patchy frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 67. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. South wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77.
Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 79.
Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 79.
Century Man Convicted Of Burglary Of An Occupied Home
March 13, 2018
A Century man is facing up to 30 years in prison after being convicted in connection with a burglary in the Wawbeek community.
Curtis Matthew Capers was found guilty of burglary of an occupied dwelling. He will be sentenced in early April by Judge Gary Bergosh.
Capers was the alleged getaway driver for Vernon Lambeth of Century in the burglary of a home on Highway 168. Lambeth was previously sentenced to 17 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of 10 years.
In October 2016, a woman returned to her home on Highway 168 near Wawbeek Road in the Wawbeek community west of Century and found Lambeth inside.
“I noticed some things were out of place, and then there he (Lambeth) was, standing in the hallway looking at me,” the victim told NorthEscambia.com on the day of the incident. She said she returned quickly to her 21-month old child, who was outside in a vehicle. Lambeth ran outside with the woman giving chase in her vehicle until he entered a nearby wooded area.
A K-9 team from Century Correctional Institution was able to track the Lambeth down and take him into custody near Wawbeek Road
Capers was seen leaving in the area in an older model green SUV with bullet holes. The vehicle was located in Alabama just north of the state line on Sam Jones Road, about two miles from the burglary. A K-9 was able to track Lambeth down; he had attempted to conceal himself with roofing tiles in an abandoned barn. A pillowcase that contained stolen items from the home on Highway 168 was also located. And Capers was positively identified by the burglary victim.
Capers was taken into custody in Alabama and later extradited back to Florida.
Lambeth was also convicted of charges related to burglaries on Rockaway Creek Road in Escambia County, FL, and a home on North Pineville Road.
Pictured above and below: The manhunt following burglary on Highway 168 in October 2016. Pictured immediately below: Vernon Lambeth is taken into custody. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
County Road 97A Bridge Nearing Completion (With Aerial Photos)
March 13, 2018
Construction is nearing completion on a $3 million bridge replacement project on County Road 97A over Boggy Creek near Enon in Escambia County. The new modem bridge features 12-foot travel lanes, eight foot shoulders, a solid concrete barrier railing and new bridge approaches.
The bridge being replaced was constructed in 1969.
Traffic will transition to the new bridge about noon Wednesday. Motorists may encounter minor delays as crews make final preparations to switch traffic Once traffic has been moved, crews will begin disassembling the temporary bridge and completing miscellaneous work items. The entire project is anticipated to be complete around the end of April, weather permitting. Work started in January 2017.
Editor’s note: This story originally stated that the project was set for competition by March 24 based upon erroneous information provided by the Florida Department of Transportation. The story has been updated with correct information.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Woman Claims Over $100K For Molino Winning Fantasy 5 Ticket
March 13, 2018
A woman has claimed her prize for a winning lottery ticket sold last week at a local store.
The Florida Lottery says the March 6 Fantasy 5 ticket worth $103,970.74 was sold to Cynthia K. Williamson of Pace. She purchased the ticket at the Molino First Stop on Highway 95A. It was one of two winning tickets sold for the drawing; the other winning ticket was sold in Merritt Island.
There were 277 tickets matching four numbers that won $121 each. Another 9,006 tickets matched three numbers and are worth $10 each, and 92,072 ticket holders won a Quick Pick ticket for picking two numbers.
The March 6 winning Fantasy 5 numbers were 2-4-13-19-33.