Armed Felony Suspect Shot And Killed During Confrontation With Deputies At Escambia Arby’s
June 19, 2025
A fatal deputy-involved shooting occurred Thursday afternoon in Escambia County.
Shortly before 3 p.m., Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies received word that a 37-year-old male who was wanted for several felonies was observed at Arby’s on Highway 98
The ECSO said the felony warrants stemmed from an incident that took place on June 13 in which the 37-year-old male is alleged to have committed domestic battery strangulation, aggravated assault by holding a screwdriver to the victim’s throat, burglary, and grand theft.
“Deputies arrived and observed the 37-year-old male in the parking lot. Upon seeing the deputies, the suspect fled inside of the restaurant with deputies pursuing,” the ECSO said in a statement. “The suspect jumped the counter and struggled with a deputy before pushing the deputy to the ground. He then grabbed a large knife and confronted the three deputies who had also jumped the counter in pursuit. Deputies gave several commands to drop the knife. The suspect then began taking out several items from his pockets and tossing them about while keeping the knife in his hand. He ignored deputies’ commands to drop the knife and pleas from employees who were caught behind the counter. The suspect then turned and moved aggressively towards the deputies with the knife. The three deputies fired at the suspect, striking him several times. The suspect died at the scene.”
No deputies were injured during the incident. All three deputies that fired will be placed on paid administrative leave as is standard policy. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is conducting an independent investigation.
The suspect’s name has not been released.
NWS: Cantonment Had A (Really) Small Tornado on Tuesday
June 19, 2025
A brief, small, short-lived tornado moved through a Cantonment neighborhood late Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Mobile.
Between 11:41 and 11:42 a.m., the EF0 tornado traveled 0.14 miles (about 246 yards, or about the length of 2.5 football fields) through the Twins Pine Circle neighborhood. The tornado was just five yards wide with peak winds of 65 mph.
There was no serious damage reported.
According to NWS Mobile, there were no advisories or warnings in the Cantonment area at the time.
Pictured top: The NWS map of the tornado’s path. Pictured below: Radar images from 11:42 a.m. The close red and green on the lower image shows the rotation. NorthEscambia.com graphics, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Sentenced To 25 Years For 2023 Bowling Alley Shooting
June 19, 2025
A Cantonment man has been sentenced to 25 years on prison for a 2023 shooting outside a bowling alley.
Nicholas Vallia, 21, was found guilty by a jury of attempted second degree murder with a firearm, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and discharging a firearm from a vehicle.
Escambia County Judge Amy Brodersen sentenced Vallia on Wednesday to the minimum required 25 years on the attempted murder charge. He will get credit for 36 days served in the county jail. He was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined to the victim.
During an investigation into a shooting on Nine Mile Road that occurred on September 23, 2023, investigators determined that Vallia, who was 19 years old at the time, shot into a vehicle occupied by three high school teenagers, who had just left the Deluna Lanes Bowling Alley.
Prior to the shooting, the high school students and the Vallia and his friends exchanged insults in the bowling alley parking lot. As the high school students drove away from the bowling alley, Vallia got in his car and followed behind them, according to prosecutors. A short distance later, Vallia then fired his gun into the occupied vehicle. A bullet struck the driver in his left arm and then it traveled through his elbow and through his abdominal region. Vallia fled the scene. The victim was treated for his life-threatening injuries at Sacred Heart Hospital by a trauma team.
ECSO Communications Unit Is Re-accredited
June 19, 2025
This week, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was awarded its first re-accreditation from the Florida Telecommunications Accreditation Commission in Orlando. The FTA consists of subject matter experts from across the state of Florida who unanimously voted for the re-accreditation of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Communication Center.
The efforts to achieve re-accredited status have taken place over the last three years. The ECSO said the Communications Unit was able to maintain compliance with all applicable mandatory standards during this time, ensuring the center was operating with industry-established best practices and serving the citizens of Escambia County with courtesy, integrity, and professionalism.
Escambia School Board Votes To Remove 18 Books. Here’s The List.
June 19, 2025
The Escambia County Board has voted to remove 15 books as recommended by the superintendent.
At this week’s school board meeting, Superintendent Keith Leonard recommended the removal of the books from all media centers and classroom libraries. The board also approved removing three books that have been identified as pornographic by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
He cited the following reasons: “These are all classified as adult novels. They contain graphic descriptions and depictions of sexual conduct which are not appropriate for minors in Escambia County Public Schools. Additionally, no school district employee holding a media specialist certification has selected these titles for inclusion in their library collections; accordingly, they cannot be made available to students through a school district media center.”
Most of the books have already been removed by at least one other county in Florida, while one — “Lexicon” by Max Barry — has never been checked out by a student in Escambia County since it was first acquired in 2014.
The 15 books being removed on the recommendation of the superintendent are:
Lexicon” by Max Berry
“Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur
“The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy
“Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood
“Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood” by Sarah Maas
“Triangles” by Ellen Hopkins
“The Sun and Her Flowers” by Rupi Kaur
“Home After Dark: A Novel” by David Small
“Home Body” by Rupi Kaur
“My Dark Vanessa” by Kate Russell
“White Knight” by Sean Murphy
“Zahra’s Paradise” by Amir & Khalil
“Collateral” by Ellen Hopkins
“Maestros” by Steve Skroce
“Woodcuts of Women” by Dagoberto Gilb
The three books removed to follow the attorney general’s recommendation are:
What Girls are Made of” by Elana Arnold
“Beautiful” by Amy Reed
“Breathless” by Jennifer Niven
Century Ups Community Center Rental Rates, Sets New Policies
June 19, 2025
The Century Town Council has approved a new community center rental policy, upping the rental rate and eliminating discounts for churches or nonprofits.
The town rents the Century Community Center (Ag Building) on West Highway 4 and the Century Business Center (Habitat Building) on Pond Street. Previously the daily rental fee was $380 with security provided by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for all events. However, a provision allowed a pastor or officer to sign off, dropping the rental to $200 for churches or non-profits. Both rental rates include a $100 refundable cleaning deposit.
The new rental policy approved this week sets the rental rate at $500 for everyone, including a $150 refundable cleaning deposit. If the facility is properly cleaned, the cleaning deposit will be returned in 7-10 days. A fee waiver can be approved by the council for any governmental agency using the facilities.
Security, provided by either the sheriff’s office or a Florida licensed security company, will be required at the renter’s expense for all events with more than 75 attendees. All renters will be required to sign a hold harmless agreement.
The policy also includes standard terms such as no tobacco, drugs or alcohol, a no-admission fee restriction.
The council also discussed potentially amending the policy at July meeting, including potentially setting a policy on inflatables.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Former Century Resident Extradited To Escambia County To Face Murder Charges
June 19, 2025
A former Century resident with a long criminal history arrested last week in Tallahassee for a Pensacola murder has been extradited to Escambia County.
Antonio Demetrius Ewing, 34, was booked into the Escambia County Jail Wednesday afternoon on felony charges of second degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is being held without bond.
Pensacola Police have released few details about the murder about 6:15 p.m. on May 30 at the apartment complex on Fairfield Drive. A man was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and transported to the hospital where he later died.
After his arrest June 11 in Tallahassee by U.S. Marshals, was held in the Leon County Jail until being transferred Wednesday.
In 2010, Ewing was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges related to a 2009 crime spree in which he robbed the Molino Tom Thumb, stole tires in Century to fix a flat on the getaway car and then escaped from deputies after he was arrested.
He was later implicated in an attempt to pass counterfeit money at Odom’s Bar on North Century Boulevard and other local businesses in the area. He was sentenced to 11 months in the county jail.
Ewing also served time in state prison for grand theft, robbery by sudden snatching, burglary, weapon possession by a convicted felon and carrying a concealed weapon. On January 27, 2025, he was released from prison after serving three years for cocaine possession and obstruction.
Beulah Academy Student First Middle Schooler In Escambia County To Earn ServSafe Manager
June 19, 2025
Beulah Academy of Science Middle School student Victoria St. Pierre is the first and only middle schooler to take and pass the ServSafe Manager exam in Escambia County, according to the school.
A ServSafe Manager is a certification for food service managers that demonstrates their knowledge and skills in managing food safety in restaurants, schools, or other food service operations. The certification validates that a manager can effectively train employees on food safety procedures and ensure a consistent high standard of food safety throughout the establishment.
St. Pierre’s instruction at BAS Middle was Victoria Bottcher.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sasaki’s Bunt Ends Wild Walk-Off Wahoos Win Over Montgomery
June 19, 2025
by Willie Phaler
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos clinched a dramatic 6-5 walk-off victory over the Montgomery Biscuits in 11 innings on Wednesday night, thanks to a bunt from centerfielder Shane Sasaki. This win comes a day after the Blue Wahoos experienced their first extra-innings loss at home this season.
The decisive play unfolded in the bottom of the 11th. After reliever Nigel Belgrave (W, 2-0) masterfully stranded the bases loaded for Montgomery in the top half, Sasaki laid down a hard bunt. The bunt forced Biscuits pitcher Jack Hartman (L, 0-3) towards third, and a slight bobble combined with Sasaki’s speed led to an errant throw. This allowed Grant Richardson to score from second, securing the win for Pensacola.
“Honestly, I just put one down for the team,” Sasaki said. “I bunted it a little too hard but sometimes good things happen when you don’t execute.” The walk-off, officially ruled a sacrifice with an error charged to Hartman, marked the Blue Wahoos’ fourth walk-off win of the year.
The Wednesday night victory was also highlighted by a solid start from Robby Snelling, who tossed his fifth quality start of the season. He allowed just one run over six innings, striking out seven Biscuits and issuing only two walks.
Beyond Sasaki’s heroics, the bats of Nathan Martorella and Jonny Olmstead were crucial. Martorella had a stellar 3-for-4 night, including a home run and two RBI, while Olmstead also drove in two runs, showcasing the consistent production throughout the Wahoos’ lineup.
“We just stick together all the time,” Sasaki stated. “We always trust each other, and we’re just trying to pass the torch. Nobody’s trying to do too much. We’re just trying to play as a team as much as possible.”
Pensacola initially held a 3-0 lead heading into the sixth inning. Martorella hit his fifth home run of the year in the second, and Olmstead’s lone hit of the night in the fourth brought in two runs.
The Biscuits’ offense finally broke through against Snelling in the sixth. After a leadoff hit-by-pitch to Colton Ledbetter, Snelling surrendered a two-out, RBI double to Will Simpson, cutting Pensacola’s lead to two.
Gregory Barrios proved to be clutch for the Biscuits in the eighth, hitting a bases-loaded double down the left field line that drove in three runs for Montgomery, tying the game at four. All three runs were charged to Evan Fitterer, who was making his first bullpen appearance since April after ten starts for Pensacola.
Berrios came up big for Montgomery again, blooping a single over the head of shortstop Jared Serna with the infield playing in to give the Biscuits a 5-4 lead.
The Blue Wahoos quickly retaliated in the bottom half to tie it up when Dalvy Rosario’s single in front of centerfielder Homer Bush Jr. scored Mark Coley II (running for Martorella). With runners on first and second and two outs, Hartman caught a line drive from Bramwell on the mound, sending the game to the bottom of the 11th and setting the stage for the walk-off victory in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038.
“Oh, it’s great,” Sasaki said about the first Wednesday sellout of the year. “The fans are awesome. We always love to have a packed stadium like this. The fans give us a lot of support so it’s awesome to play for them.”
The Blue Wahoos will face the Biscuits for game three of their six-game series tomorrow, donning their Pensacola Seagulls alternate identity. Ike Buxton is scheduled to make his first appearance for Pensacola as the starter, while Owen Wild (3-5, 5.08 ERA) will pitch for Montgomery.
WANT TO GO?
- WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs. Blue Wahoos
- WHEN: Thursday through Sunday.
- GAME TIMES: Games on Thursday through Saturday all start at 6:05 p.m. CDT. The game on Sunday starts at 4:05 p.m. CDT.
After Employee Theft Allegations, Century Town Council Member Wants Financial Info
June 18, 2025
Following allegations of theft by a town employee, earlier this year, a Century town council members wants to see financial information.
The town alleged in a report to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that seven missing deposits with $2,627.90 in cash and $8,432.51 in checks for a total of $11,060.41 not deposited into their account. The ECSO investigated and presented to their findings to Escambia County Judge Scott Ritchie who declined to issue an arrest warrant based upon the investigation. [Read Related: Judge Rejects Arrest Warrant For Employee In Case Of $11,000 Missing From Town Of Century]
Council member Shelisa McCall Abraham presented a written memo Tuesday night requesting a reconciliation of the Town of Century’s accounts for the period March 1 to May 31, 2025. The council regularly receives a “bill list” showing financial obligations, and occasional financial reports, but they do not receive account reconciliations on a regular basis.
“Considering the recent allegations against a former Town employee, I am writing to request a reconciliation of the Town of Century’s accounts,” she wrote in the memo to Carrie Moore, town clerk; Howard Brown, interim town manager; and Ben Boutwell, mayor. “Please ensure that all transactions are accurately recorded and reconciled with the bank statements. I have included reconciliation steps to assist with this process.”
Abraham also included two pages of step to reconcile account with QuickBooks (which is used by the town) or manually.
“I know they said that there are procedures in place now to make sure it (employee theft) doesn’t happen again,” she said. “She we (the council) are stewards of the funds and accountable at the end of the day, we are the ones responsible for these funds, so I want to see your complete reconciliation.”
Pictured top: The Century Town Council met Tuesday night. Council member are (L-R) Dynette Lewis, Henry Cunningham, Shelisa McCall Abraham, and John Bass. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.