Two Charged With Trafficking After Quarter Million Dollar Cocaine Bust In Escambia, Alabama
June 17, 2025
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday reported a quarter million dollar drug bust on I-65 in Escambia County, Alabama.
On June 13, the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic stop on 2023 Cadillac XTS on Interstate 65 northbound resulting in the seizure of approximately 22 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $250,000.
“This enforcement action highlights the Sheriff’s Office’s commitment to eradicating narcotics not only in the local community, but also any drug trafficking through our country,” Sheriff Heath Jackson said.
The two occupants of the vehicle, Dominick Balli (pictured top) and James Godbe, both residents of Texas, were arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking and booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center will bond set at $1 million each.
Enon Shed Fire Quickly Extinguished After Homeowner Reports Seeing Smoke On Camera
June 17, 2025
A homeowner’s quick call to the fire department led to firefighters quickly extinguishing a storage shed fire Tuesday afternoon in Enon.
The homeowner reportedly made the call for help after seeing smoke on a security camera.
The incident was reported around 12:25 p.m. from a shed located in the 10000 block of Highway 97A, roughly half a mile west of South Highway 99.
Firefighters from Escambia County Fire Rescue’s Molino, Cantonment, and Walnut Hill stations arrived to find smoke from the structure, which was reportedly used for household item storage and equipped with electricity.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and no injuries were reported.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
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.