Northview Lady Chiefs Fall To Holmes County In Region 1-1A Final (With Gallery)
May 15, 2024
“It’s going to be a great season next year. We’re excited. This is not an end; this was a beginning.”
That’s how Northview High School softball head coach Amy Holland described her optimistic look ahead at next season, her 13th, after the Lady Chiefs fell to Holmes County 7-2 in the Region 1-1A final in Bratt Tuesday night.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“The good thing about us is we are stacked with ninth and tenth graders that will be back next year. We will be tougher and stronger than ever next year,” she said, adding that the 22-5 team had just seniors on the field.
The Blue Devils held a 2-0 lead after one inning. The second ended at 2-0 as Northview turned a double play.
A double by Chloe Ragsdale helped the Chiefs tie it up at 2-2 in the bottom of the third before the Blue Devils pulled ahead in the top of the fifth.
Headed into Tuesday night, Holmes County had won eight straight game. In th last six, they had out scored opponents 60-2, including two wins over the Jay Lady Royals.
Jamison Gilman went six and two-thirds innings for the Lady Chiefs, surrendering five runs on 13 hits while striking out two and walking one. She stepped out of the circle as Makayla McAnally pitched one-third of an inning.
Mary Clayton Dawson led the Chiefs at the plate, going 2-3. Ragsdale and Dawson each drove in one run.
“I think nerves got to our girls a little bit. Other than that, our outfielders played a good game. Our infield played good at time,” Holland said. “Tonight, errors ate us up a little bit. We had a few little errors.”
“We had a great season this year, our record was awesome. This is just the beginning of this team right here.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Judge Orders Competency Evaluation For Man That Evaded Capture In Century Woods
May 15, 2024
A judge had ordered an evaluation to determine if a man that evaded capture in the woods around Century for weeks is competent to stand trial.
Christopher George Pace, 41, arson, trespassing with property damage, resisting arrest without violence, and two additional counts of resisting.
Authorities said he spent most of this time in a heavy wooded area near Pleasant Hill Road north of West Highway 4 in Century, despite several manhunts to locate him.
Now, following his May 1 arrest, Pace will undergo a court ordered psychological examination.
Pace’s public defender has submitted a plea of not guilty on his behalf and filed a successful motion for a competency evaluation.
Jude Linda Nobles appointed a psychologist to examine Pace with the written report is due back to the court by June 3.
On April 29, he evaded capture Monday during a manhunt involving dozens of state and local law enforcement officers, police K-9 units and a drone.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and K-9s from the Century Correctional Institution and Escambia County Road Prison captured Pace without incident two days later in a heavily wooded area off Pleasant Hill Road.
According to sheriff’s office reports:
On February 27, Pace allegedly set a fire in a wooded area at the dead end of Sellers Road off West Highway 4. In an incident captured in game camera photos, someone piled a tent and other items onto a deer feeder before they were burned. The fire destroyed $450 worth of property including a hunting blind/tent, a deer feeder, 50 pounds of feed corn, a batter, solar battery charger and an archery target.
Pace was identified as the suspect in the game camera photos by one of his relatives and a deputy.
On March 18 deputies attempted to locate Pace in the wooded area in order to serve an arrest warrant. They spotted him on a trail through a wooded area at the dead end of Pleasant Hill Road, according to a report. They came close enough to him to make eye contact before he ran into the woods. Deputies pursued on foot but lost sight.
Two ECSO K-9s, a K-9 from the Century Correctional Institution, and a drone team were unable to locate him. One ECSO deputy received minor injuries to his knee during the chase.
On April 21, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a suspicious person complaint in the area of Williams Street and West Highway 4. A responded deputy recognized a person walking on Williams Street as Pace. Pace ran into a wooded area when he saw the marked Sheriff’s Office vehicle. The deputy gave chase on foot, but lost Pace. An ECSO K-9 responded but was unable to locate him in the woods. a deputy reportedly tripped on vines and suffered minor injuries.
NorthEscambia.com photos and photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
The Tri-City Children’s Choir To Present Free Concert Thursday
May 15, 2024
The Tri-City Children’s Choir will fill the air with song Thursday evening with a free community concert.
All are welcome to attend the event, which begins at 6:00 pm at the First Methodist Church located on Church Street in Century.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wind Hits 89 MPH At Northview High During Last Friday’s Storm
May 15, 2024
Weather station data from last Friday morning’s severe storms provides insight into just how strong winds were.
At Northview High School, which suffered some damage to exterior items like the school sign, winds reached 64 mph at 3:26 a.m. At 3:35 a.m., a peak wind gust of 89 mph was recorded.
At the Walnut Hill Fire Station, a peak gust of 37 mph was measured at 3:25 a.m., and winds reached 45 mph about the same time at the Century Fire Station on Tedder Road.
At Tate High School, winds reached 49 mph at 3:48 a.m.
Pictured: May 10 storm damage at Northview High School in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Rain Again By Friday
May 15, 2024
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Calm wind.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 67. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming west after midnight.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 66. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 90.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 89.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Pensacola Sports Honors Top High School Senior Athletes
May 15, 2024
Every year, Pensacola Sports honors the top senior student-athletes in each sport from Escambia and Santa Rosa County schools for a scholarship recognition program. Schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties nominate their senior athletes for each sport.
A selection committee made of educators, community leaders, and Pensacola Sports board members reviews the anonymous applications and selects the best person’s credentials for individual sport winners as well as the overall male and female winners from the individual sport winners.
OVERALL MALE
Christopher Rembert – Catholic
MULTISPORT MALE
Jaquez Moorer – Northview
OVERALL FEMALE
Gabrielle Goyins – Catholic
MULTISPORT FEMALE
Maddie Simmons – Navarre
BASEBALL
Bray Touchstone – Tate
BOYS BASKETBALL
Darius Cunningham – Navarre
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Xander McLaughlin – Catholic
FOOTBALL
Turner McLaughlin – Catholic
BOYS GOLF
Bentley Van Pelt – West Florida
BOYS LACROSSE
Benton Lane – Catholic
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton Nolen – Pensacola
BOYS SWIMMING
Jackson Hebert – West Florida
BOYS TENNIS
(tie) Francis Smith – Gulf Breeze
(tie) Benjamin Ling – Catholic
BOYS TRACK
Zachary Hoyle – Pine Forest
BOYS WEIGHTLIFTING
Caleb Hahr – Milton
WRESTLING
Michael Mancuso – Gulf Breeze
CHEERLEADING
Finlee Jenkins – Washington
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Piper Tieman – Gulf Breeze
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Mozelle Powell – Gulf Breeze
GIRLS GOLF
Islay Benoit – Catholic
GIRLS LACROSSE
Natalie Biggs – Catholic
GIRLS SOCCER
Amelia Jacobs – Gulf Breeze
SOFTBALL
Leila Ammon – Gulf Breeze
GIRLS SWIMMING
Shelby Smith – West Florida
GIRLS TENNIS
Sara McElrath – Gulf Breeze
GIRLS TRACK
Jennifer Mims – West Florida
VOLLEYBALL
Julia Irmen – Navarre
GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING
Shannon Bryan – Pace
UWF SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Cora Helmig – Tate
Katie Kauth – Navarre
Xander McLaughlin – Catholic
KESSLER SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Kaylee Nguyen – Pensacola
Pictured top: Overall female Gabrielle Goyins – Catholic High. Pictured below: Overall male Christopher Rembert – Catholic High. Pictured below: Baseball winner Bray Touchstone – Tate High School. Boy’s golf winner Bentley Van Pelt – West Florida. Pictured bottom: UWF Scholarship winners Katie Kauth – Navarre, Cora Helmig – Tate, and Xander McLaughlin – Catholic. Photos courtesy Pensacola Sports for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Seymour Stings Wahoos In 3-2 Loss To Biscuits
May 15, 2024
written by Erik Bremmer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped the opener of their six-game road series against the Montgomery Biscuits on Tuesday evening by a score of 3-2.
Biscuits first baseman Bob Seymour was 4-for-4, tying the game with an RBI single in the sixth and bringing in the go-ahead run with an RBI double in the eighth as Montgomery drew to within a game of Pensacola in the South Division standings.
The game began as a duel between Pensacola’s Jonathan Bermúdez and Montgomery’s Cole Wilcox. The Biscuits jumped ahead early on a second-inning solo homer from Heriberto Hernández, but that would be the only run allowed by Bermúdez in a 5.0-inning start.
The Blue Wahoos answered back in the fifth, as Jakob Marsee hit a game-tying RBI double and quickly scampered home on a steal of third followed by a throwing error. Wilcox remained in the game, completing 7.0 innings to mark the longest appearance for a Biscuits pitcher this season.
Anderson Pilar allowed a sixth-inning triple to Carson Williams, followed by Seymour’s game-tying single to bring the score to 2-2. After Keyshawn Askew (W, 1-2) retired the Blue Wahoos in the top of the eighth, Raffi Vizcaíno (L, 2-1) allowed a single to Dru Baker to set the stage for Seymour’s heroics. The big first baseman doubled off the center field wall, scoring Baker from first base to put the Biscuits ahead 3-2.
Austin Vernon (S, 1) worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to record the save.
The Blue Wahoos look to even up the series in Montgomery on Wednesday night. First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 6:35.
Escambia Woman Arrested In Miami For DUI Manslaughter In 2023 Davis Highway Crash
May 15, 2024
A 22-year-old Escambia County woman has been arrested in Miami in connection with a fatal crash last December in Escambia County.
Jasmine Tashawri West was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service. She will extradited to Escambia County to face charges of DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, two counts of DUI with injuries, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, driving with no license causing death, and driving with no license causing serious bodily injury.
The crash occurred about 2 p.m. on December 30, 2023.
The Florida Highway Patrol said West was travelling south on Davis Highway when her pickup truck entered the northbound lanes and collided head-on with a vehicle occupied by four people.
The driver, a 45-year-old Pace man, was killed in the crash, while a 43-year-old Pace woman suffered critical injuries. Two Pace girls, ages 14 and 12, suffered minor injuries.
During the investigation, Traffic Homicide Investigators discovered West was under the influence at the time of the crash,” FHP states in a release Tuesday afternoon. “Following the securement of the warrant for DUI Manslaughter, attempts to locate West in Pensacola were met with negative results. While working with the US Marshals, it was discovered that West absconded to Miami.
Michael Darwin Walters
May 15, 2024
Michael Darwin Walters, age 68, of Atmore, AL passed away on May 13, 2024 in Mobile, AL. He was born on October 25, 1955 in Atmore, AL to Darwin Weber Walters and Lola Phillips Walters. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and Alabama football. Michael was an avid motorcyclist and absolutely loved his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. He is preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his sister Linda Hayes of Pensacola, FL; his niece and nephew, Tonya (Robert) Hurst and Scott (Tracy) Hayes, and his great nieces and nephews, Brittany Hurst, Heather Hurst, Dakota Hayes, Seth Hayes and Dylan Hayes.
Graveside services will be held Monday, May 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore, AL.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Cantonment Man Charged With Fentanyl Trafficking After Arrest On Several Warrants
May 14, 2024
A Cantonment man arrested on several outstanding warrants is facing fentanyl charges.
Shaquille Berod Solomon, 31, was charged with trafficking fentanyl and marijuana possession.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies located Solomon on West Hernandez Street and arrested him on four outstanding warrants. At the time of his arrest, he had a plastic bag his pants pocket that contained 6.3 grams of fentanyl, and a cigarillo pack that contained 3.2 grams of marijuana, according to an arrest report.
Solomon had outstanding failure to appear warrants on charges of fleeing and eluding law enforcement with lights and sirens, resisting arrest without violence, escape, possession of marijuana more than 20 grams, possession of a controlled substance and knowingly driving a license suspended or revoked.
He was also charged with domestic violence battery, domestic violence by strangulation and pepit theft for punching his ex-girlfriend with whom he has a child in common in the face twice before choking her and taking her cellphone.
Solomon remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning without bond.