Nicolas Hurls Gem As Wahoos Capture 1-0 Win Over M-Braves
August 25, 2021
Chris Chinea’s solo home run in the top of the fourth was the difference in Pensacola’s 1-0 win over the M-Braves, Tuesday night at Trustmark Park.
While the home run was difference maker, it was the pitching that stole the show for Pensacola in the club’s opening win as they embark on their 12-game road trip. Kyle Nicolas (W, 3-0) turned in his longest outing in Double-A with 6.2 shutout innings. The right-hander allowed a total of three hits and only one walk while striking out five. He has now dropped his ERA to 0.68 having allowed just two runs in 26.2 innings.
Spencer Strider (L, 2-6) was a tough-luck loser on Tuesday. Like Nicolas, Mississippi’s starter allowed three hits, but one of them was a solo home run to Chinea to start the fourth inning, which was all the offense the Wahoos needed. Strider struck out 10 in five innings, which is the fourth time this season that Strider has struck out at least 10.
Pensacola’s bullpen shined once again for the Wahoos. Andrew Nardi allowed one hit in 1.1 shutout innings. Colton Hock pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Wahoos, giving the closer his 15th save in 18 opportunities.
The series in Pearl continues tomorrow with RHP Max Meyer (6-1, 1.97) faces LHP Hayden Deal (3-2, 3.90) for Mississippi.
Cantonment Man Accused Of Cashing Check Stolen From Mailbox, Fleeing From Deputies
August 25, 2021
A Cantonment man is accused of stealing a check from a mailbox, cashing it, and fleeing from deputies.
Justin Michael Odom, 27, was charged with uttering a forged check, driving while being a habitual offender, felony fleeing from a police officer, and reckless driving.
In July, Odom allegedly stole an insurance company disbursement check from a mailbox on Santa Rosa Road in Cantonment. He changed the payee to his name and cashed the check at Walmart on Pensacola Boulevard, according to an arrest report. A deputy stated he was able to positively identify Odom as the person seen cashing the check on surveillance video.
On Sunday, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on routine patrol on Frank Ard Road when Odom ran out, got into a pickup truck and sped away.
“Odom then accelerated to a very high speed down the dirt driveway of the home, then turned left and proceeded towards my cruiser in an extremely reckless manner. Odom was spinning the tires and just about lost control striking my cruiser,” the deputy wrote in his report.
The truck accelerated away at a high rate of speed to Quintette, Highway 95A and then Stacey, not stopping for the deputy as he activated his emergency equipment for a traffic stop.
Former Gulf Breeze Mayor, CTA Boss Ed Gray Sentenced To Prison
August 24, 2021
Former Gulf Breeze Mayor Edward “Ed” Merrill Gray III has been sentenced to five years in state prison for secretly recording teen boys in his shower.
He will be on community control — house arrest — for two years after his release from prison. That will be followed by three years probation.
In September 2020, agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Gray on eight counts of video voyeurism, one count of interception of oral communication and the misdemeanor charges of stalking and installation of a tracking device. In July, Gray pleaded no contest to the charges.
Gray is the former mayor of Gulf Breeze and was later employed by the City of Gulf Breeze as executive director of the Capital Trust Agency (CTA). Century serves as a second signature for CTA. Gray’s arrest was not related to his government service, and he resigned from CTA prior to his arrest.
Gray allegedly made secret video recordings of teen boys inside his home and allegedly stalked them using a GPS tracker.
An 18-year male that did various jobs around Gray’s home told Gulf Breeze Police that he located a video camera concealed in a shoebox in the master bedroom closet where he had changed clothes multiple time prior to showering in the past year. Gulf Breeze Police handed the investigation off to FDLE.
The victim told FDLE investigators that Gray became more controlling and intruded in his personal life by tracking his movements. He said in one incident, Gray located him at a park in Pensacola and believed he was tracking him through his phone. In another incident, the victim said he told Gray he was home sick, but Gray confronted him on the phone and told him that he knew he was at a friend’s home.
Gray told FDLE that the hidden camera was initially turned on to watch an air conditioning repair man, but he decided to turn it back on because he was suspicious that the teen was possibly sexting in his master bedroom. He eventually admitted that the recording did capture the victim undressing, according to an arrest affidavit.
FDLE executed a search warrant at Gray’s home on August 3, with FDLE seizing devices with eight videos that captured four males nude or undressing in Gray’s master bedroom. A majority of the videos showed Gray starting the camera prior to individuals coming into the bathroom. The victims have all been identified by authorities. FDLE also located about 160 screenshots showing GPS locations, and they said he had installed a tracker on at least one victim’s vehicle.
At least one of the victims was 17-years old.
Top: NorthEscambia.com photo.
Convicted Felon With Possible Ties To Walnut Hill Surrenders On Child Sex Abuse Charge
August 24, 2021
A convicted felon wanted for child sexual abuse in Escambia County, Alabama, has surrendered to authorities.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office said 41-year old Thomas Benjamin Davis turned himself in Tuesday on charges of felony sexual abuse of a child less than 12-years old and for failure to appear.
On August 18, ESCO-AL asked for the public’s help in locating Davis, saying he has ties to Walnut Hill and Brewton.
Davis was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton at 1:56 p.m. Tuesday. He is being held without bond.
Attempted Murder Suspect Has Turned Himself In
August 24, 2021
UPDATE: THIS SUSPECT HAS TURNED HIMSELF INTO AUTHORITIES.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has named a suspect in an attempted homicide in mid August.
Cordeal Nikitia Hawthorne, 35, was wanted for attempted murder and is considered armed and dangerous.
On August 14, the ECSO responded to the 3700-block of Mobile Highway in reference to a shooting victim.
Once on scene, deputies located a male victim in his 50s with multiple gunshot wounds lying in the roadway. Deputies rendered aid until EMS arrived. The victim was transported to an area hospital.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620, Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP, or 911.
Homicide Investigation Underway After Man Found Dead In Car Off Blue Angel Parkway
August 24, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide.
About 6:20 p.m. Monday, ECSO deputies responded to a man down call in the 10000 block of North Loop Road off Blue Angel Parkway.
Once on scene, deputies discovered a 33-year-old male victim deceased with one gunshot wound. He was found sitting in the driver’s seat of a brown Chevrolet Malibu. The engine to the car was still running.
ECSO investigators are looking for anyone who may have witnessed this crime.
If you have any information about this incident, call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.
All Prisoners Accounted For After Incident At Century Prison Fence Tuesday Morning
August 24, 2021
A search was underway after an incident Tuesday morning outside the Century Correctional Institution on Tedder Road.
“All of the Century CI prisoners are accounted for,” Florida Department of Corrections Press Secretary Paul Walker told NorthEscambia.com. He said a prisoner count was conducted, confirming that there was no escape.
He said someone was outside a perimeter fence at the prison and fled toward a wooded area when spotted just before 8 a.m..
FDC officers and K-9 units, along with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, established a perimeter around the prison to look for the suspect. Walker said the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was the primary agency in the search.
“We are looking for the person that trespassed on their property,” ECSO Chief Public Information Officer Amber Southard said at the time
FDC and ECSO officers were seen still on the perimeter, including at Lake Stone on West Highway 4. The prison perimeter is just a few hundred feet south of the lake.
The suspect was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon. Additional details will be posted.
Pictured top: A Florida Department of Corrections K-9 unit outside the perimeter fence at Century Correctional Institution on Tedder Road Tuesday morning. Pictured below: Officers on the perimeter at Century Fire Station. Pictured bottom: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy at Lake Stone. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Home Burglary, Attempted Burglary Of Byrneville Community Center Arrested After Manhunt
August 24, 2021
A Flomaton man is facing charges after the alleged attempted burglary of the Byrneville Community Center and a home before leading deputies on a manhunt in Byrneville.
Tristan Lee Bell, 24, was charged attempted burglary of an unoccupied structure, burglary of an occupied dwelling, possession of burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported open door or window at the community center. They arrived to observe a white male wearing an orange shirt standing outside the building. Deputies noted two window screens had been removed from two windows of the community center.
Bell picked up a gray backpack and took off running into a wooded area on the west side of Byrneville Road, according to an arrest report. A deputy that entered the woods reported finding the backpack, a screwdriver, cutting pliers, Bell’s wallet, his phone and an orange t-shirt that was wrapped around a sunglasses case that contained methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
A deputy spotted Bell exit the wooded area without a shirt and run south on Byrneville Road before he entered another wooded area. When K-9 deputies arrived on scene, Bell was seen running south on Byrneville Road in the area of McBride Road. As officers were setting up a perimeter, they were informed that someone was breaking into a residence in the 1000 block of Byrneville Road.
A responding deputy captured Bell as he allegedly ran from the corner of the residence, about a mile and half from the community center.
The occupant of the home told deputies he did not notice anything was going on because of a hearing difficulty.
According to the ECSO, the blade on the screwdriver recovered from Bell matched the pry marks on the windows at the Byrneville Community Center.
Bell remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set ta $9,500.
New Look, New Uniforms Coming For The Tate High School Showband Of The South
August 24, 2021
UPDATE: The purchase has been updated to 250 each of marching coats, bibber trousers, and Aussie hats; and 12 drum major coats and 12 drum major Aussie hats.
A new look is coming next year for the Tate High School Showband of the South.
The new band uniforms from Fruhauf Uniforms in Wichita, Kansas, are expected to arrive next spring.
The band will receive 300 bibber trousers, 300 marching coats, 300 Aussie hats and uniform management software. The total cost approved by Escambia County School Board was $97,764, based upon current band membership. Of that, $28,000 will come from the district’s general fund, and the $69,764 will balance will be paid from school internal accounts.
Photos courtesy Casey Dull Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New RV Park Planned For Neal Road
August 24, 2021
A Molino woman is proposing to build an RV park on Neal Road in Cantonment.
If approved by the Escambia County Development Review Committee, the Magnolia RV Park will have 24 spaces will have septic tank service, water and electrical, according to an application filed by property owner Clorinda Baker. The access driveway will be concrete, while on-site driveways and RV spaces will be gravel.
The project will also include a 1,716 square foot building with an office, laundry, showers and bathrooms.
The Magnolia RV Park will be located on the north side of Neal Road, just west of Highway 95A on an 8.69 acre parcel. Plans call for 8.2 acres to be disturbed, with nine of 26 protected trees removed.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
