Suspect Headed To Work Off Muscogee Road After Kidnapping Attempt, ESCO Report Says
May 20, 2021
The man accused of the attempted kidnapping of an 11-year old girl from a bus stop Tuesday morning in Escambia County headed to work off Muscogee Road after the incident.
Jared Paul Stanga, 30, is charged with attempted kidnapping of a child under 13, aggravated assault and battery. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at just over $1.5 million.
About 7 a.m., a white Dodge Journey pulled up to the girl waiting at the bus stop on Old Corry Field Road and Perdido Street. That when Stanga tried to grab the girl, but she fought back.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was able to piece together video evidence that Stanga fled from the kidnapping scene along North Corry Field Road, to New Warrington Road to Mobile Highway. Numerous cameras captured the vehicle along Mobile Highway, and an eventual turn onto Pine Forest Road to the Murphy Express. One of those cameras clearly showed the license plate.
The Murphy Express video shows the Dodge Journey with a chrome bumper in the parking lot and Stanga wearing the same blue shirt, blue jeans and slide shoes as in the kidnapping video, an arrest report states. Stanga made a purchase inside the store and entered his own phone number to use a reward card.
Stanga’s employer informed investigators that he works at a company site just off Muscogee Road across the Florida/Alabama line. The employer is not named in the arrest report.
According to his supervisor, Stanga sent a text message at 7:02 a.m. saying that he would be late for work because he had to take his child to school. The supervisor said he thought this was odd because he believed Stanga’s child goes to virtual school.
He arrived at work about 7:45 a.m., parking his vehicle behind barn. His co-workers said the parking location was odd, and Stanga’s behavior and demeanor were out of character. The co-workers told investigators that he repeatedly took calls from his wife in private Tuesday when he always talks to her on a headset in front of all of them.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was waiting when Stanga arrived home on Betty Road. They found that the front chrome bumper of his vehicle had recently been painted black — they could smell fresh paint and see recent drips. Stanga had changed clothes, according to the report, between leaving work and arriving home, but the slides and blue jeans were in plain view inside the vehicle.
Stanga also had blue substance smeared on his left arm. It was the same color as the slime the young girl was playing with at the time of the attempted abduction.
For an earlier story and more information, click or tap here.
Jay Lady Royals Fall Short Of Class 1A Championship
May 20, 2021
The Jay Lady Royals fell short of the FHSAA Class 1A State Championship Wednesday with a 5-4 loss to the Trenton Tigers.
Mattie Cochran went four and a third innings for Jay, allowing eight hits and four runs while walking one and striking out five. Alayna Lowery threw one and two thirds innings in relief, allowing one hit and one run while walking three and striking out two.
Caitlyn Gavin and Ella Nelson both had home runs for Jay in the sixth inning. Nelson led Jay at the plate, going 3-3. Gavin, Brett Watson, Christa Sanders and Madison Mathis had one hit each.
The Lady Royals finished at 24-6 on the season and is expected to return at least 10 top players next year.
Pictured: The Jay Lady Royals after their regional win. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Woman Sentenced For DUI Crash That Killed One, Seriously Injured Century Man
May 20, 2021
An Escambia County woman has been sentenced for a fatal DUI crash in January 2020.
Ava Nicole Stoudemire was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Lee Robinson to 15 years in state prison under a plea agreement under which she admitted to DUI manslaughter, DUI causing serious bodily injury, DUI causing injury and driving without a valid driver’s license.
Stoudemire attempted to make a turn onto Marcus Point Boulevard from W Street. Her Toyota van was traveling too fast to negotiate the turn, causing her to lose control and collide with a semi-truck and a box truck.
Stoudemire’s backseat passenger, Tyrone Deonta Wilkins, Jr., passed away as a result of the crash. Her front seat passenger, Gregory Joseph Matthews of Century, was seriously injured. The driver of an oncoming truck was also injured.
Stoudemire’s blood alcohol level was .221, well above the legal level of .08 at the time of the crash.
Stoudemire was also seriously injured in the crash.
Blue Wahoos Fall 2-1 To Rocket City
May 20, 2021
A
fter 14 games, the Blue Wahoos are even with their record and it has been reflective of how the season has started.
“I think we are still trying to find our identity a little bit, especially offensively,” said Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel following Wednesday’s 2-1 loss against the Rocket City Trash Pandas at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
“Our starting pitching is holding up pretty good. We got (Brandon) Leibrandt going tomorrow and hopefully he can rebound from a couple bad losses.
“The bullpen is coming together, trying to find guys for the back end and how we are going to bridge it there. But guys are stepping up there are finding their roles and hopefully in another week or two, we get rolling and find out where we are.”
The loss dropped the Blue Wahoos to 7-7. The Trash Pandas (8-6) won their sixth game in the past seven. The teams will continue their six-game series Thursday with the Blue Wahoos transforming into the Pensacola Mullets, complete with uniforms and logo hats.
Making his third-start, Blue Wahoos pitcher Jake Eder gave up his first runs of the season, both in the fifth inning. Only one was earned.
A leadoff walk, then a throwing error on a slow chop was followed another walk to load the bases. Rocket City’s Michael Stefani hit a two-run single as part of his three-hit night with two doubles.
But after that struggle, Eder struck out the next three batters.
“He is a monster on the mound,” Randel said. “It wasn’t one of his cleanest outings. He threw a lot of pitches early. Got a few walks, four walks, so about 25 extra pitches. But he responded.”
Finishing with seven strikeouts, Eder, a former Vanderbilt star reliever, moved into lead among Double-A South Division pitchers with 26. The total is second-best in the 30-team Double-A level.
The Blue Wahoos could not catch a break at the plate.
The Trash Pandas made a pair of diving catches to thwart possible extra base hits. The Blue Wahoos only steal attempt was thwarted. There were also several hard-hit line drives right at fielders.
And in the eighth inning, Connor Justus hit a bomb was shifted by the wind just outside the left field foul pole.
That kind of night.
But in the ninth, the Blue Wahoos made it suspenseful. Peyton Burdick followed his three-hit night Tuesday with a blast into the wind that carried over the left-center wall to begin the inning.
With one out, Nick Fortes singled. But Trash Pandas closer Conner Higgins made a pair of big pitches on 3-2 counts to strike out Riley Mahan and Lazaro Alonso swinging to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos had just three hits against Rocket City starter Kyle Tyler, who had his best outing this season. He worked seven innings, struck out five with three walks.
In previous starts, he did not finish the fifth inning in either game. He gave up a combined 13 hits and six earned runs. Wednesday he dealt quality pitches the entire way.
“I thought we swung the bats all right,” Randel said. “Just missed a couple.”
by Bill Vilona, Blue Wahoos Senior Writer
Jay Lady Royals Beat WeWa In Semifinals, Play For State Title Wednesday Afternoon
May 19, 2021
The Jay Lady Royals got the big win Tuesday afternoon 7-2 over Wewahitchka in the state 1A semifinals in Clermont.
The Lady Royals head into the state championship game at 3:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. Eastern) Wednesday against Trenton.
Mattie Cochran pitched a complete game win for the Lady Royals over Wewa. She allowed six hits and two runs over seven innings while striking out 11 and walking none.
Alayna Lowery homered in the sixth inning, and Caitlyn Gavin had a home run in the sixth inning.
Ella Nelson, Brett Watson and Lowery had three hits each in the game; Christa Sanders added two. Jay had one hit each from Kassidy Nevels and Gavin.
The Jay Lady Royals are 24-5 headed into Wednesday’s championship; the Trenton Tigers are 19-1. Jay has scored an average of 9.069 points per game this season, slightly better than Trenton’s 8.1 points per game.
Santa Rosa County Breaks Ground On Industrial Expansion
May 19, 2021
Santa Rosa County officials broke ground Tuesday on the ne home of Gulf Cable/WTEC to be constructed on eight acres in the Santa Rosa Industrial Park.
Gulf Cable/WTEC currently employs over 300 individuals in the Santa Rosa Industrial Park. This additional property on Armstrong Road will be used to construct a 160,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility that will house and facilitate the growth of operations currently located at 5689 Industrial Boulevard.
Headquartered in Milton, Gulf Cable is the expert of cable manufacturing, producing cables that serve diverse markets including renewable (solar and wind), irrigations, electric utility (distribution and transmission), oil and gas (refineries and production), and petrochemical.
“Gulf Cable is exactly the kind of company we want to be located in the industrial park,” said Commissioner Bob Cole, District 2. “The company is expanding and hiring more people as they continue to grow. They are the perfect industry for Santa Rosa County.”
According to Shannon Ogletree, executive director, and Erica Grancagnolo, associate director of Santa Rosa County Economic Development Office (EDO), “Employment at this facility will increase by more than 20 additional people paying a salary of at least $41,000. This is 115% of the 2020 Santa Rosa County average wage. We anticipate that capital investment at the site will be approximately $3 million. That’s a big win for Santa Rosa County.”
“Gulf Cable has been in Santa Rosa County for a number of years now, and thanks to the business climate here and the support we receive from the economic development office we are continuing to grow,” said Kevin Bate, executive vice president, WTEC Energy Innovation.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Suspect Charged For Trying To Kidnap 11-Year Old From Bus Stop
May 19, 2021
A man was been charged with trying to kidnap an 11-year old girl from a school bus stop Tuesday morning in Escambia County.
Jared Paul Stanga, 30, is charged with attempted kidnapping of a child under 13, aggravated assault and battery. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail bond without bond.
About 7 a.m., a white Dodge Journey pulled up to the girl waiting at the bus stop on Old Corry Field Road and Perdido Street. That when Stanga tried to grab the girl, but she fought back.
Stanga was taken into custody on Betty Road. That’s where deputies found the Dodge Journey he was allegedly driving. Earlier in the day, the ECSO advised the public to look for the white vehicle with a chrome bumper, but it had later been painted black.
“This could have ended very different had this 11-year-old victim not thought to fight, and to fight, and to just never give up. This could have ended terribly,” Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said. “Why else do you think that this man stopped his van and tried to pick her up and take her into that van? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what his intentions were, they were not good.”
At the time of the incident, the girl was playing with blue slime. According to Simmons, Stanga had blue slime on his arms.
The girl is now safe with her family.
Images provided by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Escambia Fire Rescue Quickly Extinguishes Kitchen Fire, Saves Cornbread In The Oven
May 19, 2021
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to a reported apartment kitchen fire Tuesday afternoon in Century, and even saved the cornbread cooking in the oven.
The first firefighters on scene arrived at the Oakwood Village Apartments on Shady Lane about 1:30 p.m. to find smoke showing from the front door of one unit. There was fire in the kitchen sink due to the occupant dumping a burning pot of grease, and the there was fire under the cabinet from the grease burning through the PVC drain pipe, according to Escambia Fire Rescue reports.
The fire under the sink was put out using the resident’s fire extinguisher. Sheetrock was removed to verify that the fire had not spread.
Firefighters cleaned up the sheetrock from the carpeted floor, and helped finish the cooking
“1 pan of cornbread was removed from the oven completely cooked and delivered to the resident,” the ECFR report notes.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Northwest Escambia Doubles Size Of Youth Football Program, Adds Four Teams
May 19, 2021
Northwest Escambia football announced they are doubling the size of their football program beginning this fall.
NWE is going from a four football team park to an eight team park, now fielding two teams in each group. As a result, they are reopening football registration.
Current roster spots available are:
- Freshman (5/6) – 20 spots
- Sophomores (7/8) – 13 spots
- Juniors (9/10) — 11 spots
- Seniors (11/12) — 16 spots
There is a maximum allowed of 25 players per team. The deadline to register is June 10.
To register, click or tap here.
Senior Prank? Tate High Class Of 2021 ‘Donates’ Chickens To Ag Department
May 19, 2021
The Tate High School Class of 2021 “donated” 15 chickens to the school ag department. The chickens were found Tuesday morning on the Aggie baseball field. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
