Man Charged In Vehicle Title Scam; FHP Executes Search Warrant In Cottage Hill
November 19, 2020
A Cantonment man was arrested in a vehicle title scheme after a search warrant was executed this week at his Cottage Hill home.
Lawrence Trevon Lee, Jr., age 24, was charged by the Florida Highway Patrol Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence with felony fraud for obtaining goods etc. with a an invalid vehicle title, felony fraud for possession similitude of a driver’s license and felony fraud swindle for obtaining property between $20,000 and $50,000.
Lee allegedly financed a Mercedes-Benz C-Class using a false social security number in February 2020 but never made a payment before engaging in the title washing scheme.
In May, the finance company received contact from a towing and recovery company claiming a towing lien. A third party claimed he purchased the vehicle from a towing company in Alabama after it was allegedly found abandoned without an engine an other parts. He offered to release the vehicle back to the finance company for $4.500. That person, according to FHP, was Lee pretending to be someone else.
An attorney for the finance company contacted authorities, believing they were victims of a vehicle title scheme amounting to $30,000 plus finance charges.
A Florida Highway Patrol investigator found a picture of Lee with the Mercedes CL300 on his Facebook page. The photo was taken in front of the house he occupied on Soft Point Drive in Cottage Hill.
The investigator wrote in his report that the towing company filed a fraudulent tow and title storage application with the Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office. According to the FHP report, an individual at the towing company is currently under investigation for multiple fraudulent title applications.
Two other “lien washes” involving Lee and the man at the towing company were discovered by the FHP investigator, the report states.
This week, the Florida Highway Patrol served a search warrant at the home on Soft Point Drive with the assistance of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other agencies. The search warrant produced evidence further linking Lee to the title scheme, his arrest report states.
Lee was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
Additional arrests are expected in the case.
Pictured: The Florida Highway Patrol and other agencies execute a search warrant at a home on Soft Point Drive in Cottage Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Passes Away After Crashing Into ECUA Truck
November 19, 2020
A local woman has passed away after rear-ending a stopped garbage truck Tuesday morning on Highway 29, according to family members.
Monica Oglesby, 30, crashed into the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority truck as it was stopped in the outside lane of Highway 29 near Archer Road to pick up a garbage can. She was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital where she later passed away.
No one on the ECUA truck was reported to be injured.
The Florida Highway Patrol has not released any information about the crash.
The family has organized a GoFundMe fundraiser for funeral expenses. Any remaining funds will go to her two young boys. Click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
By The Numbers: Local COVID-19 Hospitalization Rate Doubles In The Past Month
November 19, 2020
The COVID-19 hospitalization rate in Escambia County has doubled in the past month.
The data in the chart above, compiled by the City of Pensacola, reflects the current combined number of patients hospitalized on the listed date at Ascension Sacred Heart, Baptist Hospital and West Florida Hospital. The numbers are not cumulative.
On month ago, the number of patients hospitalized was around 45. There were 95 hospitalized for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
The numbers are still below the well over 200 on multiple days in July.
Tate High School Mens Soccer Senior Spotlight
November 19, 2020
Tate High School Mens varsity soccer opened their 2020 season with a 7-0 win over Pensacola High School.
And 2020 promises to be an exciting season for the returning senior varsity players.
Logan Tyree #7 is a four-year varsity starter. Tyree plays on the Gulf Coast Texans club team, as well as the Pensacola FC NPSL team.
Calen Arnevik #6 is also a 4-year varsity player. Arnevik once a Gulf Coast Texans player now plays for Bay Side as well as being the starting kicker for Tate Varsity football.
Owen Jacobs #2 has been in the program for 4 years. Jacobs plays for the Gulf Coast Texans and has already committed to playing soccer next season for Belhaven University.
Caleb Thompson #1 is another four-year veteran to Tate soccer and is goal keeper Caleb plays for the Gulf Coast Texans, Pensacola FC and has also committed to playing soccer next year at Belhaven University.
Nathan Bailey #10 brought his skills to the varsity team the year he arrived in Pensacola as a sophomore. Bailey too plays for both the Gulf Coast Texans and Pensacola FC.
Tate will host Pace High Friday. Junior varsity begins at 5:30 p.m., and varsity plays at 7:30 p.m. at Ashton Brosnaham Park. Click or tap here to purchase tickets.
Submitted information for NorthEscambia.com.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO Seek Woman That Used Multiple Stolen Credit Cards At Nine Mile Road Store
November 19, 2020
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a woman that allegedly used several stolen credit cards at the Walmart Neighborhood Market in the 1500 block of Nine Mile Road.
She was seen leaving in the pictured white Infiniti sedan.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Photos provided by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for NorthEscambia.com.
Ernest Ward Middle Students Honor Malcolm Thomas For His Military Service
November 19, 2020
Last week for Veterans Day, Ernest Ward Middle School made patriotic wreaths that were presented to members of the community.
On Wednesday, they presented their final wreath to Malcolm Thomas, who just retired as Escambia County school superintendent. Thomas served with the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division.
The wreaths were made by Ernest Ward students in Glenda Bell’s personal development class.
For an earlier story about wreath recipients Michael and Gayle Hanks, and Louis Ward, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Firefighters Responded To Cotton Picker Fire
November 18, 2020
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to a cotton picker fire in field in Bratt near the Florida/Alabama state line early Wednesday evening.
The smoldering cotton picker was located about a half mile off Morton Road in a field south of State Line Road. There were no injuries reported.
The Walnut Hill and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Newly Reelected Escambia Commissioners Sworn In For New Terms
November 18, 2020
Three Escambia County commissioners were sworn in Tuesday for four year terms after being reelected, and the gavel passed to a new commission chairman.
District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh took the oath to begin his second term on the Escambia County Commission, while District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry and District 3 Commissioner Lumon May were sworn in for their third terms.
The chairman gavel was passed from Barry to District 4 Commissioner Robert Bender, and Bergosh became vice chairman for the next year. The board chair rotates on a set annual basis.
All three men spoke, sometimes emotionally, about their families.
Jeff Bergosh, District 1
“I want to thank God. Nothing’s more important…,” said Jeff Bergosh, who was sworn in by his brother, Circuit Court Judge Gary Bergosh. “Nothing happens without Him, so I thank God for all His blessings on me, this community and our wonderful country.”
Bergosh took a moment to thank his wife Sally for her sacrifices.
“This woman, without her, I don’t know where I’d be. She’s followed me on every adventure,” he said. “Mother of my children, I just don’t know where I’d be without you.” He also thanked his children.
“Things will get better. We will get past this virus,” Jeff Bergosh remarked. “We will move forward. Our economy will recover and right here in Escambia County, as a kid that grew up here, our best days are ahead of us, ahead of us. And I look forward to all the great things that this board is going to do for the citizens.”
“I look forward to the great things that we are going to do. We will bring District 1’s first public library; that’s coming. It’s funded. We will bring tremendous infrastructure to District 1; it’s coming. We are going to bring a brand new fire station to Beulah. It’s desperately needed; it’s coming.”
Lumon May, District 3
“First I give honor to God for allowing me to have the ability to serve this community,” May said before thanking his family.
“When you decide to run for office, it’s not just you running. It’s your entire family. It’s the good, the bad, the horrific things said, the painful things that you bear…you don’t bare it alone. You bare it with your family.”
Steven Barry, District 5
As Barry made his remarks, he looked up from the field at Blue Wahoos Stadium into the stands and saw his wife Ellen with their young son Jack.
“I see Ellen has walked off in the hallway with Jack,” he said, pausing.
“These are very stressful positions on your family,” Barry said. “Sometimes we feel that people are talking bad about us or saying things about us. But at least we always have an opportunity to have a forum to respond. … Our spouses, our children, they don’t have the opportunity to do that.”
His voice cracked with emotion as he continued.
“They are left to us to defend not just ourselves but them….I’m also very thankful to have my mom here today….It was very difficult.”
“Mom was able to be here last time,” he said, pausing again with emotion. “She was able to be here again today.
Thursday Is Deadline For Public Input On Potential I-10, Beulah Road Interchange
November 18, 2020
The Florida Department of Transportation is conducting a study to consider the addition of a new I-10 interchange along I-10 in the vicinity of Beulah Road, and the deadline to submit public comments for consideration is Thursday, November 19.
The project includes the widening of Beulah Road from West Nine Mile Road to Isaacs Lane, the realignment from Isaacs Lane to West Kingsfield Road, a new interchange at I-10 and the widening of I-10 from the Florida/Alabama line to the Pensacola weigh station.
The project encompasses an area that will see a significant amount of a future development.
As a result of planned growth, there is a need to provide connectivity from new areas of development to the surrounding regional transportation system, according to FDOT. Additionally, there is a need to provide an alternative route that will reduce travel times and congestion within the study area.
For a project update, virtual tour, interactive map and an interactive comment form, click or tap here.
Newly Appointed Escambia School Superintendent, Two Board Members Sworn In
November 18, 2020
Escambia County’s new superintendent and two board members were sworn in Tuesday night.
Superintendent Dr. Timothy Smith was appointed by the board. In November 2018, Escambia County citizens voted to move from an elected to an appointed superintendent. Malcolm Thomas, who was an elected superintendent, has now retired.
Smith was an executive area director of high schools in Orange County, Florida, which has 212,000 students. His direct responsibility was for 10 high schools with a combined student population of 30,000 students. There are about 40,000 students in the entire Escambia County district. He has also served as a principal at the middle and high school levels.
District 4 school board member Patty Hightower and District 5 member Bill Slayton were sworn in for another four years on the board. Both were reelected with no opposition.
Pictured: The oaths of office were given Tuesday night to Escambia County School District Superintendent Dr. Timothy Smith (top), District 5 board member Bill Slayton (below) and District 4 member Patty Hightower (bottom). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
