FHP: U.S. Mail Carrier At Fault In Highway 29 Crash With Improper U-Turn
June 17, 2025
A rural mail carrier was at fault in a two vehicle crash Saturday morning on Highway 29, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report released on Tuesday morning.
The crash happened around 9:40 a.m. on Highway 29 northbound between Cox Road and Sigler Road north of McDavid.
FHP said the 54-year-old mail carrier was traveling south in the grass median, accroaching 2700 North Century Boulevard, when he made an improper U-turn or left turn from the grass median in front of oncoming traffic. The right side of his SUV collided with the left front of a sedan driven by an 18-year-old teen. The mail carrier’s SUV came to rest off the roadway, and the teen’s car rotated until it came to rest in the roadway.
Firefighters extricated the mail carrier from their vehicle following the crash. Both drivers were transported by Newman’s Ambulance and Escambia County EMS to area hospitals.
A representative of the U.S. Post Office in Century collected the mail for later delivery.
The Century and McDavid stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash.
NorthEsccambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Case Reopened Against Century Felon Accused Of Aggravated Assault For Hitting Woman With Handgun
June 17, 2025
The State Attorney’s Office has reopened a case against a Century felon accused of striking a woman in the head with a handgun and weapon possession in May 2024.
Kenneth Elbert Hammac, Jr. was originally arrested for the incident last May, but in December 2024, the State Attorney’s Office dropped the charges due to “prosecutorial discretion” but has since reopened the case.
Hammac was arrested again direct file charges of aggravated using a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon — all felonies.
The female victim told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that Hammac accused her of cheating before striking her over the head with what she thought flashlight and shoving her into a table. He then pointed a handgun at their 15-year-old son, according to an arrest report.
The 15-year-old told deputies that Hammac pointed a gun at him and demanded to know who had been over, the report continues. The teen told deputies that Hammac struck the victim over the head with the butt of the handgun.
Deputies noted large laceration that bleeding heavily on the disorientated victim’s head and a table covered with blood. She was transported by Escambia County EMS to Jay Hospital for treatment.
According to the ECSO, Hammac is convicted felon, found guilty of possession of cocaine in 2008, and sentenced to two years in state prison.
He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $12,500 bond.
Chumuckla Highway and Five Points Intersection Project Public Meeting Set
June 17, 2025
A public meeting will be held Thursday about the Chumuckla Highway and Five Points Intersection Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study.
The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 19 at the Don Salter Community Center, 5976 Chumuckla Highway in Pace.
Project Information
Santa Rosa County is conducting a PD&E Study to consider widening C.R. 197 Chumuckla Highway from U.S. 90 to Five Points Intersection. This project is intended to support all modes of transportation by increasing capacity on Chumuckla Highway by widening the roadway to relieve congestion, decrease travel times, and support bicycle and pedestrian movements.
The PD&E Study will consist of developing and evaluating alternative road alignments to determine a preferred alternative that will increase the safe and efficient movement for all modes of transportation.
A public hearing is anticipated to be held winter of 2025. The PD&E Study is anticipated to be completed in spring of 2026. Design, right of way, and construction will follow.
Sheriff’s Office Issues Warning About Warrant Scam. Here’s How It Works.
June 17, 2025
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is once again warning about another warrant scam.
According to the ECSO, the scam involves callers identifying themselves as members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. These imposters then claim that the recipient of the call has an outstanding warrant related to missed jury duty and demand payment to resolve the issue. Adding to the deception, the phone number displayed on caller ID may even appear similar to an official ECSO number, making it difficult for unsuspecting victims to immediately identify it as fraudulent.
“The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will never call you and ask you to pay any amount of money,” the ECSO Said. “Do not send any form of payment or plan any meet-up if you receive a call such as this.”
Two Former Inmates Charged With Trying To Sneak Contraband Into Fountain Prison
June 17, 2025
Two former inmates were arrested on drug and contraband charges near the Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore.
The Alabama Department of Corrections said personnel ADOC K-9 personnel noticed a suspicious vehicle near state property and investigated. The driver was identified as former inmate Sherman Mickles. Passengers included a female juvenile and an infant. Mickles was detained and the K-9 Unit tracked and located a second suspect, former inmate Robert Oliver. A backpack was recovered near Oliver.
Both suspects were arrested, transported to the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center, and charged with trafficking methamphetamine, two counts of attempting to commit a controlled substance crime (distribution), possession of marijuana first, and prohibited activities.
ADOC said the backpack included (apporximately):
- 1 bottle of vodka
- 1 Bluetooth speaker
- 7 wireless earbuds
- 11 USB blocks
- 23 USB cords
- 18 cell phones
- 1 digital scale
- 82 grams of methamphetamines
- 988 grams of marijuana
The Poarch Tribal Police and Atmore Police departments assisted in the arrests. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be pending, officials said.
Cantonment Man Charged With Battery Of 78-Year-Old Relative
June 17, 2025
A Cantonment man has been charged with battery of a 78-year-old relative.
Jerry Wilbur Ferranti, 77, was charged with domestic violence related battery on a person 65 years of age or older.
The victim told deputies that she got into a verbal argument with Ferranti about sending money to his grandchildren. She stated he got very angry and grabbed and twisted her arm, according to an arrest report. She provided deputies with video surveillance of the incident.
According to the report, Ferranti blamed the incident on his consumption of four alcoholic beverages, and the victim waving her arms in his face as if she was about to hit him. The responding deputy wrote in the report that “Ferranti appeared calm and not under the influence of alcohol”.
Ferranti was released from jail on a $10,000 bond.
Register Now For Tate Aggies Youth Football Camp Under The Lights In July
June 17, 2025
The Tate High School Aggies will host their Youth Football Camp in July. This year, the camp will be held July 7-8 at night under the lights of Pete Gindl Stadium from 7-9 p.m.
Players will run through fundamental drills. The camp is open to players in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.
Click here to register. Registration includes a camp t-shirt.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Tax Collector Molino Office Closed Monday Due To Weather-Related Outage
June 16, 2025
UPDATE…The Molino tax collector office reopened Tuesday morning.
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office in Molino is was closed Monday afternoon due to weather-related network outage.
Tax Collector Scutt Lunsford said it appears the problem in external to the office, and work is underway to bring the office back online as soon as possible.
“We have turned off the queues for the day and will be screening the customers in the building and arranging assistance for them,” he said.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Special Commission Meeting Set To Consider $25 Million John R. Jones Park Bond Issue, $1.1 Million Beach Gateway
June 16, 2025
During a special meeting Friday, the Escambia County Commission will consider over $26 million in tourism related projects.
The meeting will be held at 9 a.m., June 20 at the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building.
$25 Million TDT Note For John R. Jones Complex Upgrades
The commission will consider approval of Tourist Development Tax (TDT) Revenue Note not exceeding $25,100,000 for capital improvements at the John R. Jones Park and Sports Arena. The county will then enter into a loan agreement with Synovus Bank (the purchaser of the note). The annual debt service for the bank loan will be paid from Escambia County TDT with a structured level annual debt service of approximately $2.495 million over an approximate 15-year period which ends on October 1, 2039.
The project was approved by the commission in May; Thursday’s vote will finalize approval for the bond issue.
The $25 million for upgrades, including artificial turf, for the John R. Jones complex on East Nine Mile Road with a focus on sports tourism. The TDC approved the recommendation at their April 15 meeting.
The John R. Jones complex currently has 18 baseball and softball fields, plus two rectangular multi-use fields for sports such as football, lacrosse, soccer, cheerleading and more.
According to the proposal, the new facility will attract hundreds of teams, players and fans for tournaments and be competitive with similar facilities in nearby communities such as Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Panama City, Fort Walton Beach, Daphne and more.
There are 23 hotel properties within seven miles, and it is about 15 minutes from the Pensacola International Airport.
The Nine Mile Road facility will have the capacity to host 39 weekend tournaments plus 12 full week tournaments during the summer, creating over $2.3 million in revenue subject to the tourist development tax.
The $25 million will fund:
- $20 million – Artificial turf for 20 Fields
- Approx. $1 million per field
- 18 multi-dimensional diamond fields,
- Plus, two rectangular multi-use fields
- $500,000 – Landscaping & Common Areas
- Flower beds and aesthetic landscaping
- $1.2 million – Sidewalks & Parking Upgrades
- Entryway and sidewalk connectivity
- $1 million – Fence, Shade & Dugout Work
- Overall fence work, shade areas & dugout upgrades
- $1.5 million – Concessions & Building Upgrades
- Remodeling and upgrading buildings.
- Miscellaneous Expenses – $400,000
- Various Aesthetic Upgrades
- Design – Permits or Consulting Fees – $400,000
- Potential fees for design or consulting
$1.1 Million For Pensacola Beach Gateway Improvements Design
The commission will consider approval of $1.1 million to Jacob’s Engineering Group for Pensacola Beach gateway improvement designs.
The Escambia County Engineering Department, in collaboration with the Santa Rosa Island Authority, requested 100% construction plans to be developed for an improved northern gateway to Pensacola Beach. The new gateway design will piggyback a new tolling system structure that is currently being designed by Jacobs Engineering. The new gateway will include a welcome structure, new landscaping, a new shared multi-use path, and pavement improvements to be located between the south end of the Bob Sikes Bridge and the north end of the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) water storage tanks. The existing toll booth facility visually cues motorists to stop in spite of the signage to the contrary, increasing traffic congestion. These changes seek to improve traffic efficiency entering the island while collecting the toll and providing an aesthetic greeting to Pensacola Beach.
Escambia County Renews Emergency Response Agreement With Century Prison
June 16, 2025
Escambia County recently renewed a contract to provide fire suppression and rescue services for the Century Correctional Institution.
A 2022 agreement with the Florida Department of Corrections was renewed for five years for Escambia County Fire Rescue to continue providing fire services when the need arises.
Century Correctional is located on Tedder Road, a short distance from the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue. In the event of a fire or other emergency, other surrounding ECFR stations may also respond.
ECFR agreed to provide the following on an as-needed basis 24 hours a day, seven days a week:
- Fire suppression and fire equipment;
- Fire investigation;
- Contact for ambulance and emergency medical services; and
- Rescue of inmates/persons who may have become trapped.
- There are no financial obligations between the parties.
Pictured: An Escambia County EMS ambulances exist the Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.