Four Killed In Three Separate Escambia County Traffic Crashes
May 28, 2026
Four people were killed in three seperate Escambia County traffic crashes in less than 24 hours.
Barrancas Avenue Double Fatal
A single-vehicle crash on Barrancas Avenue claimed two lives at approximately 6:10 a.m. Wednesday.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a beige Honda Accord was traveling east when it failed to maintain a single lane while traveling around a curve and left the roadway.
“The vehicle then struck a concrete median divider on Barrancas Avenue, became airborne, and spun across the right-turn lane before striking a tree on the east side of the roadway,” trooperd said. The driver, a 49-year-old Pensacola man, and his passenger, a 26-year-old Pensacola man, were both pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation is continuing.
W Street Bicyclist Fatal Hit-and-Run
A fatal hit-and-run crash occurred near the intersection of W Street and West Mallory Street between 2:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. FHP said the crash involved an unknown vehicle and a 25-year-old male bicyclist who was later pronounced deceased at Baptist Hospital.
Troopers said the suspect vehicle fled the scene in an unknown direction after hitting the bicyclist.
Anyone with information is asked to contact FHP Trooper Berry at tylerberry@flhsmv.gov or Corporal Whipple at mattwhipple@flhsmv.gov, or call FHP at (850) 484-5000.
W Street Bicyclist Fatal
At approximately 11:54 p.m. Tuesday, the 45-year-old male driver of an SUV struck and killed a 42-year-old male bicyclist on W Street near Lenox Parkway.
FHP said “the driver of the SUV failed to observe the bicyclist in the roadway due to low light conditions, resulting in the front of the SUV striking the bicyclist.”
The investigation is ongoing.
File photo.
Ransom Middle School Names Students of The Month
May 28, 2026
Ransom Middle School named Madisyn Mott (seventh grade) and Jackson Pitt (eighth grade) as Students of the Month for April. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Rock Rickwood In Historic Offensive Onslaught, Beat Barons 23-4
May 28, 2026
Playing for the first time at historic Rickwood Field, the oldest professional ballpark in America, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos made some history of their own in a blowout 23-4 win over the Birmingham Barons.
Playing as the Negro League’s Pensacola Seagulls, the Blue Wahoos enjoyed the pregame celebration of the ballpark’s storied past before setting single-game team records in hits (26), homers (7) and runs scored (23). Two buses of Blue Wahoos season ticket members and gameday staff who made the trip to Birmingham and were seated above the Pensacola dugout saw a game unlike any other in franchise history.
Among the many superlatives, Fenwick Trimble went 5-for-6 with a homer, finishing a triple shy of the cycle in just the fifth five-hit game in team history. Ian Lewis Jr. hit a pair of homers and drove in four, Emaarion Boyd was 4-for-6 with a double and RBI, Juan Matheus and Aiva Arquette each hit their first Double-A homers, Jay Beshears hit the team’s first grand slam of the season, and Dillon Lewis hit his team-leading 11th homer.
Every Blue Wahoos starter had at least one hit, making things easy for starting pitcher Alex Williams (W, 2-4). The righty worked 6.0 innings in a quality start, allowing four runs, three earned. Barons starter Connor McCullough (L, 0-2) labored through 2.1 innings, allowing three first-inning runs and departing in the middle of a five-run third that put Pensacola up for good.
Matheus and Lewis Jr. each went deep in the third, and Trimble and Beshears each hit their homers in the fifth. Lewis Jr., Lewis and Arquette capped the record-setting game with homers in the ninth inning, giving the Blue Wahoos a team-record seven homers overall.
Nigel Belgrave and Gabe Bierman combined to finish off the game with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief.
With the 19-run win, tied for the most lopsided in the team’s 14-year history, the Blue Wahoos are back above .500 at 24-23 with four games remaining in their road series in Birmingham.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Thursday evening.
Written by Erik Bremer
Santa Rosa Medical Group Opening First Escambia County Primary Care Clinic In Cantonment
May 27, 2026
Santa Rosa Medical Group is expanding access to primary care services in Escambia County with the opening of a new clinic in Cantonment this July. The location, at 2360 South Highway 29, Cantonment, marks the medical group’s first primary care clinic in Escambia County and is designed to provide more convenient healthcare access to residents in the area.
The clinic will offer comprehensive primary care services for adults, including preventive care, treatment for minor illnesses, chronic disease management, wellness visits and walk-in visits. Patients will be able to receive care without an appointment for many everyday healthcare needs, helping improve access to timely medical care in the community.
Rachael Shumaker, an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), will serve as the clinic’s primary care provider and begin seeing patients in July.
“As an Escambia County native, it means a great deal to me to care for patients in the community I call home,” Shumaker said. “I’m excited to join SRMG and provide such a needed service in the area.”
“We recognize the growing need for accessible primary care services in Central Escambia County,” said Randy DeLee, chief administrative officer for Santa Rosa Medical Group. “This new clinic represents our commitment to providing convenient, high-quality care closer to where people live and work.”
The clinic is expected to open at the beginning of July and will welcome both scheduled appointments and walk-in patients. To schedule an appointment or learn more about the clinic, call (850) 626-5350.
ECFR: Electrical Fault Sparks Fire That Destroyed McDavid Home
May 27, 2026
A fire that destroyed a McDavid home on Friday evening was caused by an electrical problem, according to Escambia County Fire Rescue.
The fire displaced two adult residents and claimed the life of one dog.
ECFR responded to the residential structure fire in the 2800 block of Velor Road on Friday, May 22, at approximately 6:26 p.m. Upon arrival, crews discovered an active fire venting from the single-story home.
Firefighters launched a rapid attack, bringing the fire under control by 7:01 p.m.
Following an investigation, ECFR determined that the cause of the fire was faulty electrical wiring in the kitchen.
The home was a complete loss.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Drop Series Opener To Birmingham
May 27, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped the opener of their road series against the Birmingham Barons on Tuesday night, falling by a score of 8-4.
After an afternoon filled with a dozen roster transactions, including the arrivals of infielders Aiva Arquette and Juan Matheus from High-A Beloit, the Blue Wahoos couldn’t get their offense going as they slipped back to .500 at 23-23.
The Barons took a quick 2-0 lead against Blue Wahoos starter Jacob Miller (L, 1-3) thanks to a second-inning RBI single from Jeral Pérez and a third-inning sacrifice fly from Alec Makarewicz. Cristian Hernández tied the game for Pensacola with a two-run homer in the fourth inning.
Birmingham took the lead for good in the fourth inning, loading the bases against Miller before reliever Luis Palacios served up a go-ahead grand slam to Colby Shelton. The Barons tacked on two more in the sixth inning with a two-out, two-run double from Makarewicz against reliever Livan Reinoso.
Dylan Jasso singled home Connor Caskenette in the top of the seventh inning and brought him in again in the ninth on a sacrifice fly, but the Barons bullpen held onto the lead for an 8-4 final.
Matheus was 2-for-3 with a double in his Double-A debut, and Arquette hustled out an infield single for his first Double-A hit in a 2-for-4 night. Caskenette, making his season debut for the Blue Wahoos after appearing in 14 games in 2024, was 2-for-4 with a double. Reliever Holt Jones, also called up from Beloit, worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning with a strikeout in his debut.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Wednesday afternoon as they play in “The Rickwood Game” at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham.
written by Erik Bremer
Cantonment Woman Charged With Felony Fraud For Using Stolen Checks
May 27, 2026
A Cantonment woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly stealing a local man’s checkbook and using it to at the grocery store.
Christina Marie Avirett, 38, was charged with four felony counts of uttering a false bank bill, note, check, or draft. She was later released on a $4,000 bond.
According to an arrest report, a deputy was dispatched to the Grocery Advantage on Highway 29 in Cantonment regarding a fraud complaint. A store manager reported that a female frequent shopper had used unauthorized checks to purchase items on consecutive days. When the same woman returned the following evening and attempted to use another check under the same victim’s name, the manager recognized something was wrong and denied the transaction.
Investigators contacted the victim, who stated his checkbook had been taken from a kitchen drawer. The victim noted that he personally only uses that checkbook for church, and the first fraudulent check actually had “Church clean up” written on the memo line. This led him to believe the suspect knew him and his specific check habits. The victim was able to identify a former coworker linked to Avirett’s residential address, noting that the individual had been inside the victim’s house three weeks prior.
The store manager later selected Avirett from a photograph line-up provided by the Sheriff’s Office, identifying her as the individual who passed the checks. Surveillance footage from Grocery Advantage also captured the suspect and her distinct electric bicycle, which the responding deputy recognized from prior interactions.
In total, three checks were successfully processed—two at Grocery Advantage and one online—totaling $369.96 before the account was frozen.
Ernest Ward Middle School Names Final Students, Employees Of The Month
May 27, 2026
Ernest Ward Middle School named its Students and Employees of the Month for the final three months of the school year.
May Employee of the Month is science teacher Tracy Bozeman, and Students of the Month are Ryleigh Crabtree, eighth grade; Colton Hopper, seventh grade; and Charlie Trawick, sixth grade.
April Students of the Month are Henry Cook, sixth grade; Jaelyn Connors, seventh grade; Jadon Long, eighth grade; and Employee of the Month is Kevin Knowles, PE teacher and coach.
March Students and Employee of the Month are Marlee McElhaney, sixth grade; Rachael Garrison, seventh grade; Walker Maughon, eight grade; and Yolanda Fountain, teacher assistant.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle School Presents Student Awards
May 26, 2026
Ernest Ward Middle School presented student awards during last week of school programs.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Correctional Inmate Assaulted Staff Member, FDC Says
May 26, 2026
A Century Correctional Institution inmate assaulted a correctional officer recently, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Yomi Williams, Jr., 30, assaulted an officer by spitting on them, according to the FDC.
Williams is serving an eight-year sentence on multiple convictions from Alachua County, including multiple counts of aggravated battery of a pregnant victim and burglary with assault.