Alabama Man Charged With Boarding Train, Tampering With Controls. And Meth Possession.
April 6, 2021
An Alabama man has been charge with allegedly boarding a train near Flomaton, tampering with the controls, and meth possession.
The Flomaton Police Department responded to a report of an unauthorized person on a CSX locomotive near Hollywood Drive.
Randal Wayne Shugart, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, entered the locomotive and began to tamper with the controls, according to Flomaton Police. That caused an emergency code that locked down the engine. Police said he also caused damage to the locomotive.
Flomaton Police also reported finding him with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia at the time.
Shugart, 45, was charged with unlawful breaking and entering of a vehicle (train), criminal mischief first degree, possess of methamphetamine, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
CSX Police are continuing their investigation into the incident.
Construction Work Continues Nightly On Highway 29 From Cantonment To Molino
April 6, 2021
Construction work is continuing nightly on Highway 29 between Cantonment and Molino.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, drivers can expect intermittent north and southbound lane closures between Muscogee Road and Highway 97 from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. for paving operations.This will include work at Muscogee and Becks Lake roads and Morris Avenue intersections, as well as the CSX railroad crossing.
Pictured: Construction work on Highway 29 at Becks Lake Road/Muscogee Road in Cantonment Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Unusual Century Council Meeting With No Action Items; CRA Meeting Called Off Due To No-Show Members
April 6, 2021
Monday night’s Century Town Council meeting was a bit unusual in that the council did not vote on anything, except ordinary acts to pay the bills and approve previous minutes.
The council heard updates on items including the Community Action Program and the Charter Review Committee during a meeting that lasted well over an hour, but there were no action items on the regular agenda.
The council barely had a quorum with two members absent; Leonard White and Sanda McMurray-Jackson did not attend. Mayor Ben Boutwell took part in the meeting by Zoom call due to an illness.
Earlier in the evening, the town council was to sit as the Community Redevelopment Agency. With only Luis Gomez and James Smith present, the meeting was called off due to a lack of a quorum. Council members Jackson, White and Dynette Lewis were no-shows.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
T.R. Miller Tops Northview
April 6, 2021
T.R. Miller defeated the Northview Chiefs 6-3 Monday night in Brewton.
The game was tried at three in the bottom of the fifth when T.R. Miller scored on a sacrifice fly.
Cameron Patrick opened on the mound for the Chiefs. he went three and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out one. Ethan Collier threw two and one-third innings in relief, allowing three runs on two hits and striking out three.
Luke Bridges went 1-3 for the only hit of the night for Northview.
Pictured: Luke Bridges at bat for the Northview Chiefs. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
17-Year Old Faces Up To Life In Prison After Sexual Battery Conviction
April 6, 2021
An Escambia County 17-year old is facing up to life in prison after being convicted of a sexual battery last year.
Eric Demond Parrish was convicted by an Escambia County jury of one count of sexual battery (force likely to cause serious bodily injury), one count of battery, and one count of false imprisonment. Parrish is a juvenile and was tried as an adult.
On January 7, 2020, the Parrish sexually battered the victim without her consent, according to the State Attorney’s Office. In the course of the sexual battery, he placed his hands around her neck. As the victim tried to leave the home, then Parrish grabbed her by her arms and clothes and attempted to drag her back into the home and prevent her from leaving.
Parrish will be sentenced in May.
Beulah Man Charged After Fracturing 2-Week Old Infant’s Skull, ECSO Says
April 5, 2021
A Beulah man has been charged after a 2-week old was taken to the hospital with a fractured skull and other serious injuries.
Brock Tatum Baumert, 27, was charged with first degree felony aggravated child abuse and was being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
The mother of the 2-week old told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that she went to a friend’s birthday dinner and left her daughters — ages 5 and 10-years and 2-weeks — in the care of Baumert, who was living at the residence with them.
“While she was away, she received several text messages from her 10-year-old daughter asking her to come home. She immediately returned home and found the two-week-old in a child’s swing with a bloody lip, a scratch on her nose and bruising around her face,” the ECSO said.
The mother immediately took all three children to West Florida Hospital. The 2-week old suffered a fractured skull, a fractured clavicle and had multiple bruises. The other two children were unharmed.
Baumert was arrested a few hours later. His relationship to the children has not been released.
For The Second Time In Two Weeks, Molino Man Arrested For Drug Trafficking, Weapons Offenses
April 5, 2021
For the second time in less than two weeks, an eight-time convicted felon from Molino has been arrested on a long list of weapons and narcotics charges.
Damion Tobias Bryant, 39, was free on a nearly quarter million dollar bond from a March 19 arrest when Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped a Ford F-150 he was driving near Yonge and “T” streets.
A K-9 searched the truck and located 1.3 grams of MDMA, 31 grams of Heroin, one gram of marijuana, 98.5 grams of Fentanyl, glass smoking pipes, a loaded Ak-47 with a round in the chamber and more than $1,300 in cash, according to the ECSO.
Bryant was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, trafficking in heroin, trafficking in fentanyl, carrying a concealed firearm, felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $242,000 bond.
On March 19, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel in the 3900 block of Barrancas Avenue. Two people, Damion Tobias Bryant of Molino 32-year old Kiersten Marie Heusohn of Pensacola, were inside the room at the time, an arrest report states.
According to investigators, Bryant possessed approximately 267.8 grams of methamphetamine, 37.37 grams of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, 12.1 grams of synthetic marijuana, 22 grams of marijuana, 265 whole and 37 partial Alprazolam pills and two oxycodone pills.
In addition, deputies reported finding $1,475 in cash in the room and a .45 caliber pistol in a pool.
Bryant was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in heroin, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, destruction of evidence, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $240,000 bond.
Heusohn was charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, conspiracy to traffic heroin and destruction of evidence. She was released from jail on a $102,500 bond.
Jay Man Killed In Early Morning Morristown Road Wreck
April 5, 2021
A single vehicle crash west of Jay claimed one life early Monday morning.
A 68-year old man from Jay was traveling north on Morristown Road when his pickup truck ran off the road into a ditch, went airborne and collided with a tree, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The driver was ejected. He was pronounced deceased on the scene following the 3:30 a.m. wreck.
The FHP no longer releases the names of traffic crash victims.
File photo.
County Considers A Boat Ramp At Otto Hill For Perdido River Access For First Responders, Small Personal Craft
April 5, 2021
Escambia County is considering a gated boat launch at Otto Hill to allow first responders access to the Perdido River, but the public will be able to use it to launch small craft.
This week, the Escambia County Commission is expected to enter into an interlocal agreement with the Northwest Florida Water Management District. If approved, Escambia County will design and build a 10-foot wide boat launch with a gate at the Otto Hill Recreation area. It will be constructed at the site of a former primitive boat launch.
The gate across the launch will prohibit nonessential vehicle access by the public. Gate keys will be provided only to county staff and emergency personnel, water management staff, Escambia Search and Rescue, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
While the public will not have vehicle access to the launch, there will be walk-around space to allow the public to hand launch and retrieve canoes, kayaks and small boats.
The Otto Hill Recreation Area is located at 2401 Jacks Branch Road, just south of Fillingim Landing. It has a pavilion, portable toilet and reservation only campsite in addition to river access.
There are several short hiking trails — one of which leads to a picturesque sandbar approximately 100 yards from the main camp site. Under normal conditions, the river is shallow enough in this area to provide a fantastic swimming spot for children, according to the water district.
A short swim or paddle across the river leads visitors to another sandbar and more sunbathing opportunities.
The Escambia County Commission with vote on the agreement with the Northwest Florida Water Management District at a meeting on Thursday.
Pictured: The Otto Hill Recreation Area on the Perdido River off Jacks Branch Road. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Truck With Seven Occupants Overturns On Molino Road
April 5, 2021
There were no serious injuries reported when a truck with seven passengers overturned on Molino Road Sunday evening.
The truck overturned onto its side in a ditch about 6:40 p.m. in the area of Barrineau Lane, not far from South Highway 99. The seven people reportedly made their way to a nearby home where first responders found them.
The crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded.
File photo.