Driver Runs Into Wooded Area On Highway 29, Tree Crashes Down On His SUV
May 4, 2021
A driver crashed into the woodline along Highway 29 north of McDavid Monday night, sending a tree crashing down across his vehicle.
The adult male was northbound on Highway 29 near North Canoe Road when he lost control and ran off the road. His Jeep Liberty traveled across a concrete ditch before running up a steep embankment and striking several trees. A small pine tree crashed down across the roof of the SUV.
The man was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital with injuries that were not considered dangerous. The Century and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
The Florida Highway Patrol is conducting the investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Attorney Suspended For Frivolous Filings To Charge Higher Fees
May 4, 2021
The Florida Supreme Court has temporarily suspended an Escambia County attorney for frivolous filings to charge higher fees.
Jeremiah J. Talbott was suspended for 60 days and ordered to attend the Florida Bar’s Professionalism Workshop and Ethics School.
Talbott was hired to represent a client in a federal case under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In an order denying Talbott’s motion for attorney fees from the opposing party, the federal court found that Talbott pursued the litigation in bad faith and engaged in frivolous filings during the proceedings to obtain higher attorney fees, according to the Florida Bar.
Talbott was charged with conducting frivolous litigation, failing to expedite litigation, filing exaggerated billing sheets with the court, as well as extensive and unnecessary discovery to increase attorney fees when there was no dispute of damages between the parties.
Century Raises Gulf Power Franchise Fee; EREC Is Next
May 4, 2021
The Century Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to increase the franchise fee they charge Gulf Power, and an increase for Escambia River Electric Cooperative is next.
In 1994, the franchise fees for both utilities were increased from 3% to 5%, and now the council is raising the fee to 6%.
While the franchise fee is paid to the town by the utility, both Gulf Power and EREC told NorthEscambia.com that they pass the full cost of the fee on to their customers.
The Gulf Power fee increase is a done deal after Monday night’s vote. The council also held a first reading of a new agreement with EREC that will become official after one more meeting and an affirmative vote.
Gulf Power customers with an average 1,000 kwh monthly usage pay about $140 a month, according to Florida Public Service Commission documents. The franchise fee increase will cost customers in the Century town limits about $1.40 per month.
Barber Calvin Dawson Has Passed Away. He Cut Hair In Cantonment For 65 Years.
May 4, 2021
A longtime Cantonment barber has passed away.
Calvin Dawson passed away at his home on April 29 at age 96.
After military service in the Navy and Army National Guard, he moved to Cantonment and purchased his barbershop in 1955. He sold Dawson’s Barbershop in 2002, but continued to work at the renamed Cantonment Barber Shop until January 2020. That’s 65 years.
Visitation and a funeral service will be held on May 13. For the complete obituary, click here.
Pictured above: Barber Calvin Dawson. Pictured below: Calvin Dawson in an update photograph with his wife, Voncille Miller Dawson. They were married in 1946 and had one daughter and three sons. She passed away in 1999. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Three Shootings With Four Total Victims In One Week In Atmore
May 4, 2021
The third shooting in a week is under investigation in Atmore.
A 16-year old male was shot while watching a basketball game at Houston Avery Park about 8:45 Friday night, according to details released Monday by Atmore Police.
Police Chief Chuck Brooks said a lone gunman discharged a weapon and the victim was truck once. The teen was transported by ambulance from the park off Martin Luther King Avenue to Atmore Community Hospital before being airlifted to another undisclosed hospital for treatment.
April 27 Shooting
Brooks said there have been no arrests. Atmore Police are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to call APD at (251) 368-9141.
On April 27, the Atmore Police Department responded to 200 block of 4th Avenue where male stated he had been shot.
“According to a witness at the scene, the male victim left his residence for a short time, and when he returned, he told the witness he had been shot,” Brooks said. The victim was transported to Atmore Community Hospital for treatment.
There have been no arrests in the incident.
April 25 Shooting
On Sunday, April 25, 28-year old Scottie Dale Robinson of Atmore allegedly shot his brother and another man in the 100 block of 6th Avenue. He was arrested Tuesday afternoon after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase from Cantonment to I-65 near Evergreen, Alabama, where he crashed.
Robinson is facing attempted murder charges for shooting 33-year old Gregory Lavon Robinson, and 19-year old Oneius Cotz White.
RELATED STORY: Attempted Murder Suspect Leads High Speed Chase Across Two States
Pictured below: Attempted murder suspect Scottie Dale Robinson of Atmore crashed on I-65 near Evergreen, Alabama, Tuesday afternoon following a high-speed chase that started in Escambia County, Florida. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Your Relative Probably Has Not Been Kidnapped: ECSO Warns Of New Scam
May 4, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a new scam.
The ECSO said a scammer recently called the potential victim and claimed to have kidnapped a family member or to be holding a person they knew against their will. The scammer said they would only let the person go if money was transferred to the kidnapper. The potential victims immediately contacted the ECSO and the person being said to have been taken against their will was fine and knew nothing about the phone call or scam.
The sheriff’s office is anyone receiving such a call to contact them at (850) 436-9620, and do not send any money or provide personal or financial information.
Multiple variations of the scam have been reported, investigators said.
DeSantis Suspends All Local COVID-19 Emergency Orders In Florida
May 3, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday issued an executive order immediately suspending all local COVID-19 emergency orders.
“I think that’s the evidence-based thing to do,” said DeSantis during a news conference in St. Petersburg. “I think folks that are saying they need to be policing people at this point, if you’re saying that, then you’re really saying you don’t believe in the vaccines.”
The governor also signed a bill that goes into July 1 that would limit future local emergency orders to 42 days . It also gives the governor authority to overrule cities and counties and any time, and city and county commissions will have the power to overrule mayors. It also give the legislature authority to overrule the any mandates or restrictions by the governor.
The law also bans so-called vaccine passports.
Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis during a Monday press conference in St. Petersburg. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Three Charged After Ongoing Family Feud Erupts Into Chaotic Fight, At Least Two Injured
May 3, 2021
Three people are charged in connection with a wild melee in the Quintette area that left at least two people injured. It was a scene on Tyler Lane and East Chipper Road that deputies described as “chaotic” in an ongoing family feud that exploded after one man decided to mow the grass.
The three arrested in the days following the April 25 incident are:
- Brandon William Tyler, 27, charged with aggravated battery, aggravated assault and criminal mischief. He was released on a $36,000 bond.
- William Norman Tyler, 63, charged with two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of affray. He was released on a $42,000 bond.
- Joseph Danuel Summerlin, 50, charged with aggravated battery, affray, felony criminal mischief, petit theft and disorderly conduct. He was released on a $30,000 bond.
According to multiple Escambia County Sheriff’s Office reports:
Deputies arrived to find William Tyler walking back and forth near his lawn mower in the middle of the road, and an injured woman was in the roadway.
William Tyler told deputies he was cutting grass on the right of way near Summerlin’s residence. Summerlin came outside and told him to leave, throwing nails under his mower and throwing a brick at it. William Tyler rode his lawn mower toward his home, but said he decided he was not going to let Summerlin keep him from mowing the grass. He only had the grass to finish on Tyler Lane and was not going back toward Summerlin’s residence on Chipper Road.
William Tyler said Summerlin came walking down the road and began swinging a wooden stick. Summerlin then hit and damaged the top of the lawn mower and stole the mower key. William Tyler said his phone, valued at $1,400, was “completely broken” in the incident. Deputies noted William Tyler’s head was bleeding in several places.
William’s Tyler’s brother told deputies that he and his mother were not telling the truth, and both had been in ongoing conflict with years with Summerlin. He said at one point, William Tyler provoked the incident, hitting another witness with a metal pole and striking Summerlin in the head.
Meanwhile on Chipper Road, witnesses said William Tyler turned his mower around in the Summerlin yard. Summerlin told him to get off the property and threw a handful of nails on the right of way. Witnesses recounted various different accounts of the incident involving the pole and stick assaults.
Witnesses said William Tyler’s son, Brandon Tyler, pulled up in the front yard of Summerlin’s home. Brandon Tyler then hit Summerlin with his vehicle two times, doing donuts and spinning out, and hitting a fence. Summerlin said Brandon Tyler was yelling “I’m going to kill you” during the incident.
William Tyler’s 93-year old mother complained of extreme pain in her leg and hip area from injuries she received during the melee. She was airlifted to an area hospital. A member of the Summerlin family was also transported to the hospital for treatment.
Pictured: The scene in the area of East Chipper Road and Tyler Lane after an apparent family feud erupted into a melee. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview High Names April Students Of The Month
May 3, 2021
Northview High has named Olivia Bush and Brandon Odom as Students of the Month for April. Also pictured is Northview Principal Michael Sherrill. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Approvals: New Dollar General, Seafood Market, Bigger Grocery Parking Lot And Mexican Food
May 3, 2021
Development review approval was granted over the last month for several projects in Century:
Dollar General — As we first reported two months ago, a new Dollar General is planned for Century in the 7000 block of North Century Boulevard, on the west side of the road between Highway 4A and West Hecker Road. According to plans for the proposed store, it will be 9,291 square feet on about 1.5 acres. It will have 31 total parking space, with entrances from North Century Boulevard and West Hecker Road. The developer has told the town that they will remove 17 trees from the property. They plan to replant those 17 trees at the site, along with five flowering trees and 15 shade trees in the Nadine McCaw Park on North Century Boulevard, just northeast of the planned store. The town has now approved the plans.
Seafood Market — The town has approved an application for reuse of a commercial building at 11 East Highway 4 (at the railroad crossing) for a new seafood market.
Vallarta Mexican Restaurant — Work started in January on a new Vallarta Mexican Restaurant at the location of the former Becky’s Mini Mart at 9010 North Century Boulevard. The town has now approved the upgrade of electric wiring, outlets and light fixtures, and the installation of a new LED sign.
Food Giant Parking — The town has also approved the expansion of the parking lot at the Food Giant at 9501 North Century Boulevard. A house just to the south of the existing parking lot has already been demolished to make way.
In some cases, projects must also be approved by Escambia County Development Review, and the necessary permits must be issued before work begins.
NorthEscambia.com photos/graphics, click to enlarge.
