FHP: Cantonment Man Charged After Highway 29 Wreck; His Passenger Seriously Injured
October 6, 2021
A Cantonment man was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol after a wreck on Highway 29 Tuesday night.
FHP said 26-year old Manuel De Jesus Hernandez Lopez of Cantonment was traveling north on Highway 29 about 6:15 p.m. when he attempted to make a turn across oncoming traffic to Tate School Road. Troopers said he failed to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic and turned into the path of a pickup truck driven by 65-year old Milton man.
A 34-year Cantonment man that was a passenger in the van was ejected in the resulting crash. He was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital with serious injuries.
The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Lopez was charged with driving without a license. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday afternoon with bond set at $500.
Daytime Paid Crew Now Staffing The Beulah Fire Station
October 6, 2021
Paid career firefighters are now staffing the Beulah Fire Station weekdays to supplement volunteers.
The paid crew will staff the “Station 2″ from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, providing coverage during a time frame that most of Beulah’s volunteer firefighters are at work. The volunteers will continue to respond nights and weekends.
“I’m excited and happy for the community. It’s been a long time coming in a growing area,” District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh told NorthEscambia.com Tuesday. “There is a very robust volunteer staff at Beulah, but most of them have jobs during the day.”
Bergosh said he is also looking forward to the upcoming construction of a new fire station for Beulah.
He said the design is complete, and the construction project is expected to go out to bid in about four months on what will be a state of the art facility. While construction costs have risen in recent months, building the station is currently estimated to have a $4 million to $4.5 million price tag.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also has a paid firefighter crew on duty from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
MEET THE CREW OF BEULAH’s ENGINE 219
Lt. Jacob Meligan (pictured far left) is also a Florida certified paramedic. As the company officer, he is responsible for the daily operations and personnel assigned. Meligan started out as a volunteer with ECFR and was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant with 13 years of service.
Firefighter Michael Rozo (pictured middle) has been with the department for over two years.
Firefighter Chris French (second from right) is a certified Florida EMT and serves as the apparatus driver/operator. He started as an ECFR volunteer and now has almost 22 years of service.
Assistant District Chief Yoshimi Core (far right) spent time this week to assist the crew in getting acclimated to their new assignment. Core has spent all of his time at Escambia Fire Rescue serving at the Beulah Fire Station.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Accused Of Abusing Elderly Person, Battery of His Girlfriend
October 6, 2021
A Cantonment man is accused of abusing an elderly person and the battery of his girlfriend.
Joseph Terry Jones, 35, was booked into the Escambia County Jail on charges of abuse of an elderly person domestic violence and battery domestic violence.
Jones is accused of getting into an altercation on the back deck of a home with his live-in girlfriend who was “begging for mercy and for someone to get him off of her”, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report states. Jones then got into “tussle” with an elderly person in the house, punching them in the face three or four times, the report continues.
Jones was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $30,000 bond.
Century Approves Tax Increase, Higher Budget, Employee Raises
October 6, 2021
The Century town council has given final approval to a property tax increase, higher budget and employee raises for the fiscal year that began October 1.
The council approved property tax increase with a millage rate of .9204, which is 7.61% greater than the rolled-back rate of .8553 mills. The rolled-back rate is the tax rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue as approved for the prior year. Anything greater than the rolled-back rate is a tax increase.
The town approved a $5.7 million budget for fiscal year 2021-2022, up from $4.14 million during FY 2020-2021. The increase is mostly due to income from grants.
The tax increase and budget passed on a 4-0 vote with council member Dynette Lewis absent.
The budget includes a 5% cost of living increase for all employees, with an option for an additional 2% performance raise available with the approval of the council and mayor.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Atmore Man Facing Drug Charges After Pensacola Traffic Stop
October 6, 2021
An Atmore man is facing drug charges after a traffic stop in Pensacola
Montrelle William Deshay Fischer, 33, was charged with destruction of evidence, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped Fischer’s Mercury Grand Marquis on Creighton Road after observing him driving without a seat belt. As the deputy checked computer records on Fischer, he reported seeing him lift the center console of the vehicle and place something in his mouth. Deputies asked him to step out of the car and observed marijuana all over his tongue, according to an arrest report.
A small bag of marijuana was found under the center console, along with a digital scale in the passenger seat, the report states.
The incident was captured on the deputy’s body camera.
Fischer was released on a $4,000 bond.
Tate Football Head Coach Jay Lindsey Resigns
October 5, 2021
Jay Lindsey has resigned as the head football coach for the Tate High School Aggies.
He submitted his letter of resignation from the coaching job on Monday, but he will remain in his physical education instructional position, the Escambia County School District said.
Lindsey was offensive coordinator for the Aggies when he was named head coach in 2015 after the resignation of Ronnie Douglas, who stepped down to spend more time on a business venture. In 2015, he led the Aggies into the 6A state semifinals. In his first two seasons, Tate was 26-10. Since moving to 7A in 2018, the Aggies have a 6-28 record.
This year, the Aggies are 1-5, having been outscored by opponents 165-23 points as of last week. Friday night, the Aggies will host Washington (3-2) for homecoming.
Pictured: Jay Lindsey leads the Tate Aggies from the sidelines during a 44-0 loss to West Florida (above) and a 14-0 loss to Gulf Breeze (below). NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County: Two Transported To The Hospital After Inhalation Incident At Ascend Performance Materials
October 5, 2021
Two people were transported to the hospital after an inhalation incident at Ascend Performance Materials in Cantonment Tuesday afternoon, according to Escambia County, but Ascend says there was no chemical leak.
No information was available on the condition of the individuals.
Davis Wood, spokesperson for Escambia Fire Rescue, said the two patients were exposed to cyclohexane. Cyclohexane can be harmful if swallowed or inhaled. It can cause eye iand skin irritation, respiratory symptoms, drowsiness, or coma in high enough concentrations, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Wood said there was no danger posed by the incident to anyone outside the plant. He said Escambia Fire Rescue was initially dispatched to the call on Chemstrand Road, but canceled because it could be handled by Ascend’s internal fire department. Escambia County EMS did transported the two individuals.
A statement from Ascend differs than the official statement from Escambia County. Ascend told NorthEscambia.com:
“This morning, an employee suffered what is likely a personal medical emergency. The employee was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
“Two on-site medical staff, contracted by West Florida Hospital, responded to the event and reported the event per their protocols. West Florida Hospital requires in-person evaluation of their on-site medical staff; therefore, they were both transported via ambulance.
“At no time did any process disruption occur, nor did any material escape. At no point in time was there any threat to the community.”
Escambia Tax Collector Marcus Pointe Office Down Due To System Issues
October 5, 2021
The Escambia County Tax Collector Marcus Pointe Office has been down since Friday afternoon due to system issues.
“A truck hit a pole and pulled down a fiber line that supports the office. The break has been located and repairs are ongoing,” Tax Collector Scott Lunsford said late Tuesday morning.
He said the Marcus Pointe Office on W Street is slowly opening on a backup system for limited services, but title and registration services are not available.
All other offices are operating normally.
McDavid Man Allegedly Caught Without His Pants Burglarizing Pensacola Energy Facility
October 5, 2021
A McDavid man was allegedly caught without his pants inside a Pensacola Energy facility on Lillian Highway.
Aaron James Chancery, 29, was charged with felony burglary and misdemeanor trespassing.
Chancery allegedly climbed over a locked fence gate, part of a “barbed-wire fence of substantial construction” that is over six-feet tall, and entered a brick building on the property, according to an arrest report.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the Pensacola Energy work facility to find Chancery still inside the security fence. A Pensacola Energy supervisor told deputies he saw Chancery come out of the building without pants on, and then walk around the building with pants on before stacking cans on top of each other in an attempt get out of the fence, the arrest report states.
The utility supervisor unlocked the fence and Chancery was arrested by deputies.
Deputies reported finding Chancery’s phone and charging cord near the fence, close to cans that were stacked on top of each other. His wallet and charger were found on a shelf inside the building. Officers also noted a window screen on the ground outside the building underneath a window.
He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $3,000 bond.
Flomaton Man Charged With Calling In False Report Of Shots Fired
October 5, 2021
A Flomaton man is facing charges after allegedly calling in a false report of a shots fired incident in an attempt to hinder an ongoing investigation.
Shane Johnson was arrested Monday on charges of false reporting to law enforcement and obstructing a government operation.
Last Friday, Flomaton Police were conducting an investigation in the Holt Subdivision when Johnson called to report shots fired situation across town, according to Chief Charles Thompson, in attempt to hinder the investigation.
Thompson said caller ID was blocked, but investigators were able to track to the call to Johnson.
Thompson said false reports cost time, gas, and impact public safety.
“This release isn’t to hinder someone from notifying us of any issue, but the issue is required to be factual. It shall not be some bogus attempt to hinder my officers from doing their job,” the police chief said. “For every call that is received to our department that is fake, we will use every resource at our disposal to investigate the incident, and if probable cause is found for arrest, it will be presented to the courts for a warrant.”