Escambia Man Indicted On Attempted Murder Of DEA Agent, Federal Drug And Firearms Charges
April 19, 2025
An Escambia County man faces a potential life sentence after a federal grand jury indicted him this week on a litany of serious charges, including drug trafficking, illegal firearm possession, and the attempted murder of a federal agent.
Austin James McCastler II, 35, was charged in the indictment announced Friday by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The charges stem from alleged drug distribution activities and a violent confrontation during an investigation.
According to the indictment, McCastler faces two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, attempted prevention of the government’s authority to take property during an authorized search and seizure, attempted murder and assault of a DEA agend, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
As law enforcement officers entered the house on a search warrant, they heard what wast “described as a muffled gunshot”, according to county documents. McCastler stated ‘I am locked and loaded! Get out of my house,’ or words to that effect,” a federal affidavit states.
“During the execution of the warrant, McCastler II fired shots at a DEA Special Agent,” court documents state. “McCastler II also barricaded himself inside the residence for a short time before fleeing out the front door on foot. McCastler II was then able to get into a vehicle parked near the front porch, and he fled the scene.” He was captured after his vehicle was disabled and a short foot pursuit.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton are prosecuting the case.
Historic Ernest Ward Middle School FFA, Agriculture Education Programs Are Here To Stay
April 18, 2025
The historic agriculture and FFA programs at Ernest Ward Middle School are not going away.
Rumors and social media posts were spread Thursday that the program is being terminated. But that’s simply not the case, according to Principal Tyvanna Boulanger.
“FFA and ag are, and always have been, a big part of what Ernest Ward has been and will continue be a part of Ernest Ward,” Boulanger said. “They are here to stay.”
The Ernest Ward FFA program has received several state honors.
Agriculture education has a long history at Ernest Ward, believed to date back to the construction of a one-room log school in the 1880s to two-room building that opened in 1909 and later to Ernest Ward School in 1921. The school later became Ernest Ward High School and then the building became Ernest Ward Middle School after the high school merged with Century High School to form Northview two decades ago.
The EWMS agriculture teaching job is currently posted and open only to current instructional employees of Escambia County Public Schools. Applications will open to persons that register for an upcoming ECPS Teacher Hiring Event on May 3 before being posted for open applications, Boulanger said.
Pictured: A 2024 appreciation breakfast held by the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA. NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Special Services, Egg Hunts And Many Other Area Easter Events Planned
April 18, 2025
Here are Easter weekend events schedules in the North Escambia area:
Holy Week at St. Monica’s Episcopal Church
St. Monica’s Episcopal holy week services include Good Friday Noon Liturgy, as well as Station of the Cross at 6p.m. on Friday, April 18. Holy Saturday Liturgy will be held at 10 a.m. with Great Vigil of Easter at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 19. Easter sunrise services will be held at 6:15 a.m. on Easter Sunday, followed by Easter Sunday family service with Holy Eucharist at 10 a.m. Everyone is invited. There will be a children’s Easter egg hunt following the service. The church is located at 699 S. Highway 95A in Cantonment.
Good Friday Service at Highland Baptist Church
Highland Baptist Church will hold Good Friday services on April 18 at 6:30 p.m. with scripture, song and the Lord’s Supper. The church is located at 6240 N. Highway 95A in Molino.
Springtime Family Event at Run-a-muck Ranch
Run-a-muck Ranch will hold a springtime family event on Saturday, April 19, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at their ranch on Rigby Road (just follow the signs). There will be various animals for guest to pet and greet as well as family games inlcuding RanchBall, Corn Hole, table gams and more. Concessions will be availabe at the concession cabin. The event is weather dependent with a back-up date planned for April 26 if necessary. Everyone is welcome!
Community Easter Egg Hunt at Gonzalez Baptist Church
Gonzalez Baptist Church will hold a community Easter Egg hunt on Saturday, April 19, starting at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome. The church is located at 1590 Pauline Street in Cantonment.
Enon Baptist Church Easter Egg Hunt
Enon Baptist Church at 7121 Highway 97A, Walnut Hill, will host an Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 19 at 11 a.m. Hotdog lunch and candy gift bags.
Beulah Dash
Beulah Dash will be held Saturday, April 19 at the Escambia County Equestrian Center. The color run will be at 8:30 a.m., followed by an egg hunt at 11 a.m.
Easter Service at Oak Grove Baptist Church
Oak Grove Baptist Church will hold Easter services on Sunday, April 20, at 11 a.m. The church is located at 2600 N. Hwy 99 in Oak Grove.
Easter Service at Lathram Chapel United Methodist Church
Lathram Chapel United Methodist Church on 2690 Jack’s Branch Road, will have a 10:30 a.m. service, dinner on the grounds and and Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday.
Easter Service at Highland Baptist Church
Highland Baptist Church will hold Easter services on April 20 at 10:45 a.m. The church is located at 6240 N. Highway 95A in Molino.
Easter Service at Dogwood Park Baptist Church
Dogwood Park Baptist Church will hold an Easter service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday with an Easter egg hunt for kids following the service. The church is located at 3301 Hwy 97 in Molino.
Community Sunrise Service at St. Monica’s Episcopal Church
St. Monica’s Episcopal church will hold a Community Sunrise service at 6:15 a.m. on Sunday, April 20. Everyone is invited. Dress may be casual and appropriate for the weather. The church is located at 699 S. Highway 95A in Cantonment.
Easter Service at St. Monica’s Episcopal Church
St. Monica’s Episcopal church will hold Easter services on Sunday, April 20 beginning at 10 a.m. Everyone is invited. There will be a children’s Easter egg hunt following the service. The church is located at 699 S. Highway 95A in Cantonment.
Easter Services at Jubilee Church
Jubilee Church will hold Easter services on Sunday, April 20, at 8:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Everyone is welcome. The church is located at 5910 North W Street in Pensacola.
Easter Services at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church Molino
Easter services will be held on the Molino campus of Marcus Pointe Baptist Church at Molino Park Elementary School, 899 Highway 97.
Easter Services at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church Beulah
Easter services at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church Beulah will be at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 20 on the campus of Beulah Middle School, 6001 West Nine Mile Road.
Resurrection Sunday Services at Cross Faith Church
Resurrection Sunday services at Cross Faith Church on Highway 29 will be at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday, April 20.
New Beulah Wawa Opens; Deputies Top Firefighters In Hoagie Matchup
April 18, 2025
Beulah’s new WaWa store opened Thursday morning with a ribbon cutting and festivities including a hoagie competition in which local deputies defeated local firefighters.
The new store is located at 5888 West Nine Mile Road, at the corner of Beulah Road.
Wawa’s signature Hoagies for Heroes competition pitted the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office against Escambia County Fire Rescue. Both received a $1,000 donation, but the title went to the deputies.
The Beulah location will be Wawa’s second location in Escambia County. The first opened on Boesch Lane, located at Ransley Station on Pine Forest Road just north of I-10.
Three more Wawa stores are currently planned for Escambia County:
- 6650 Pensacola Boulevard near W Street.
- 8503 North Davis Highway, near Johnson Avenue and HCA West Florida Hospital.
- 9262 West Highway 98 at Blue Angel Parkway.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Gets Senior Night Shutout Over Baker; Tate Slips To Pace
April 18, 2025
Northview 12, Baker 0
The Northview Lady Chiefs celebrated Senior Night 12-0 shutout of the Baker Gators Thursday night in Bratt.
Before the game, the Chiefs honored Jamison Gilman, their only senior, and threw a ceremonial first pitch to her dad James Gilman.
Gilman went on to pitch a complete run-rule win, allowing just one hit and no runs while walking one and striking out eight.
Gilman and Avery Stuckey each had three hits for the Lady Chiefs, including a solo home run to left field for Stuckey in the fourth inning as she went 3-3. Kylee Langham and Daviona Randolph both had two RBIs, and Addysen Bolen had two hits for NHS.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Northview will host the Tate Aggies next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the final game of the season for the Chiefs.
Pace 3, Tate 0
The Pace Patriots slipped past the Tate Lady Aggies 3-0 Thursday night in Cantonment.
Back-to-back in the lineup, Kara Wine and Kaylie Mitchell each had one hit for the Aggies.
In the circle Jordan Smith went seven innings for Tate, surrendering three runs (one earned) on nine hits while walking one and striking out one.
Tate will host Milton at 6 p.m. Friday before traveling to Bratt next Tuesday to face the Northview Chiefs at 6 p.m. The Aggies will then host Escambia on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in their final regular season game.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Injured In Highway 29, Highway 196 Crash
April 18, 2025
Two people were reportedly injured in a crash Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 196.
The injuries were not considered life threatening in the wreck, which occurred about 2:40 p.m.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and has not released further details.
Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Rally In Extras, Hold On For 4-3 Win Over Clingstones
April 18, 2025
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos played and won their first extra-inning game of the season on Thursday night in Columbus, beating the Clingstones 4-3 in a 10-inning thriller.
After blowing a 2-0 advantage, the Blue Wahoos barely held on in their second attempt to preserve a late lead. Josh Ekness (W, 1-0) surrendered a run in the top of the tenth, but struck out three consecutive batters with the potential tying run on third base to seal the win.
The Blue Wahoos (9-3) scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to take a 2-0 lead against Columbus starter Lucas Braun. In the fourth, Joe Mack hit the second of his two doubles on the night and scored from third when Kemp Alderman’s steal of second drew an errant throw from catcher Jason Delay. In the sixth, Mack singled and scored on a Jake Thompson RBI single.
Braun was excellent, pitching 6.2 innings and striking out seven, but Blue Wahoos starter Evan Fitterer was even better. The Pensacola righty allowed just two hits over 5.2 scoreless innings while striking out five, and left with a 2-0 lead.
Nigel Belgrave retired all four men he faced in relief of Fitterer, but the Clingstones rallied in the eighth against Tristan Stevens. Geraldo Quintero laced an RBI triple to right field to get Columbus on the board, and then scored on a Kobe Kato RBI groundout to tie the game.
Ekness worked a clean ninth to force extras, and the Blue Wahoos wasted no time reclaiming the lead in the 10th against Jake McSteen (L, 0-1). Johnny Olmstead scored pinch-runner Shane Sasaki with an RBI single, and scored from second on a Dalvy Rosario sacrifice bunt followed by a throwing error. The Blue Wahoos were poised to add more, leading 4-2 with the bases loaded and no outs, but Alderman flied out to right and Ethan Workinger threw out Sam Praytor at the plate to snuff out a bigger rally.
In the bottom of the 10th, Ekness made things difficult for himself by walking Drew Compton and allowing an RBI single to Workinger to put the tying run at third and the winning run at first. But he dug deep to fan the final three batters, locking down a 4-3 Blue Wahoos victory.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Friday night. First pitch from Synovus Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET/6:05 p.m. CT.
‘The Town Is At Great Risk’ Century Mayor Says After Council Again Refuses Gas Department Hire
April 17, 2025
The Century Town Council has again refused to hire an employee recommended by the interim mayor for the town gas department.
Billy J. “BJ” Johnson applied March 12 for a position described as “gas department employee” in the town’s natural gas department, where he previously worked for about a decade. Interim Mayor Alicia Johnson requested permission to rehire him, saying that he holds several needed certifications. The town charter requires the council to approve all hires by the mayor. Earlier this month, the council denied her request because they felt the position was not properly advertised.
The interim mayor made her request against this week, but a motion from council member Shelisa McCall died without a second, despite the position being advertised with no applicants other than Billy Johnson.
“I would strongly recommend that y’all consider the ramifications if you do not fill this position,” she said. “We don’t have an option whether we follow regulations or not; we have to follow state regulations.”
Johnson’s term as interim mayor will end when newly re-elected mayor Ben Boutwell takes office on May 9, but she says she will ask again to hire someone for the gas department.
“I have one more council meeting, and I will bring the council any qualified applicants that we have,” she said. “I will bring this one (Billy Johnson) back, but I do want to say to you as the town council that if we were to have a major gas explosion, we as a governing body are going to be held responsible for any accidents, that kind of thing.”
If the town cannot attract qualified applicants, Johnson said it may be advantageous to hire a contractor to fill the void in the gas department.
“It is imperative, I cannot stress enough, the town is at great risk if we do not cover our regulatory bases.,” she concluded.
NorthEscambi.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Assistance Program Provides New Home For District 5 Resident
April 17, 2025
For Escambia County District 5 resident Luverne Bonner, the dream of having a brand-new home to call her own once seemed out of reach.
Now, that dream is a reality thanks to Escambia County assistance programs, which provided Bonner with a new home that she and her family can enjoy for years to come.
After living in her previous home for over 25 years, Bonner said she experienced numerous issues with the house that became unmanageable and overwhelming, including electrical problems, major leaks, roof and flooring issues, and more.
In need of help, she applied for the Escambia County Neighborhood and Human Services Department’s Housing Demo and Replacement Program, which demolishes deteriorating houses and replaces them with brand-new houses for income-eligible residents in need. The program is funded through a grant from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, or SHIP, program.
For more photos, click to enlarge.
“It is incredibly rewarding to see lives changed for the better through county programs like this, which help greatly improve the quality of life for residents in need of a helping hand in our community,” District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. “Thank you to our county staff for their hard work to make this possible, and congratulations to Ms. Bonner and her family on this exciting new chapter. I wish you many happy memories together in your new home.”
Bonner was joined by county staff, family and friends for a ribbon cutting to celebrate her recent move-in day when she received the keys to her new home.
Bonner said the new home is lifechanging for her, especially since she will now have a clean, safe space to host her children, grandchildren, and other family members.
“It means everything to me,” Bonner said. “With the old house, I really couldn’t have my kids or grandkids come stay with me. If they did, they couldn’t stay long, and I didn’t feel comfortable with them being here, because there was so much work to be done in the house.”
When her old home deteriorated to a point where she couldn’t safely live there anymore, Bonner said she was incredibly grateful to have a place to stay with her daughter until her new home was constructed. Without the assistance from Escambia County, Bonner said she would not have been able to move forward with making repairs or replacing her home.
“Now I can just be comfortable,” Bonner said. “I can just relax and not worry about things. It’s amazing – I just don’t have the words. I really, really appreciate it so much.”
Additional assistance may be available for income-eligible homeowners in Escambia County. Limited funding is available, but eligible residents in need of assistance are encouraged to reach out for more details. For information about eligibility requirements and assistance programs for Escambia County homeowners,contact the Neighborhood Enterprise Division at ned@myescambia.com or (850) 595-1642.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Michelle Salzman Higher Education Bill Strongly Opposed By DeSantis Overwhelmingly Approved By House
April 17, 2025
The Rep. Michelle Salzman bill strongly opposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday was overwhelmingly passed by the Florida House on Wednesday.
The House approved the bill on a 104-8 vote.
HB 1321 repeals a 2002 law that created public records exemptions for choosing university presidents and puts the process back into the sunshine under Florida public records law. The bill also removes the state university system Board of Governors’ approval to confirm presidential choices and attempts to limit the governor’s influence in the selection process.
It removes the ability of us to ensure that we’re holding universities accountable,” DeSantis said.
“We are not removing the governor’s power from anything,” Salzman said on the House floor on Wednesday. “There is no removal of powers; he appoints the people that are making these choices. You can’t get any better than that. You can’t. This isn’t an attack on the people that have been selected; this isn’t an attack on the Board of Governors. This isn’t an attack on our great governor.”
“This is simply bringing the second largest component of the state budget into the sunshine. Choices we are making for one of the largest components of our tax dollars should be in the sunshine,” Salzman added. “The bill brings transparency. It is good governance.”
DeSantis spoke out against the bill during a press conference Tuesday morning at Pensacola State College, saying Salzman was “behaving like Democrats”. The governor claimed Salzman’s bill was “cosponsored by the most flamboyantly left-wing Democrat”.
In a lengthy exclusive interview with NorthEscambia.com, Salzman explained her bill and responded to the governor. To hear her complete response, see the video below or visit the NorthEscambia.com Facebook page.
In a lengthy exclusive interview with NorthEscambia.com first published Wednesday morning, Salzman explained her bill and responded to the governor. To hear her complete response, see the video below or visit the NorthEscambia.com Facebook page.
Pictured top: Rep. Michelle Salzman speaks about HB 1131 on the floor of the Florida House on Tuesday. Courtesy The Florida Channel for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.