ECSO Patrol Vehicle Strikes 13-Year Old Boy
July 16, 2019
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle struck a 13-year old boy Monday afternoon in Escambia County.
The deputy, who was not named in a Florida Highway Patrol report, was making left turn onto L Street from Fairfield Drive as the boy entered the road on foot.
The FHP said the juvenile ran into the deputy’s lane of travel and was hit by the Chevrolet Tahoe about 4:40 p.m. The boy was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries.
No charges were filed in incident.
File photo.
Driver’s License Service, Vehicle Registration Event Returns To Century Next Month
July 16, 2019
Mobile driver’s license and vehicle registration services will return to Century on Tuesday, August 6 for a single day event.
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford has partnered with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to bring the Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) mobile office to Century from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Billy G. Ward Century Courthouse at 7500 North Century Boulevard.
FLOW is a stand-alone mobile office with technology to provide most motorists’ needs. The mobile unit provides a convenient method to renew a driver’s license, obtain a replacement driver’s license, conversion/reciprocation of out-of-state license, change a name or address on a current driver’s license or identification card, and get a first-time identification card. In addition to licensing services, the mobile unit also provides an opportunity to renew or replace a vehicle registration and apply, renew or replace disabled parking placards. Written and driving tests are not available from the FLOW unit.
Citizens can renew vehicle registrations up to three months and driver’s licenses up to 18 months in advance of expiration.
Citizens using the FLOW services are encouraged to visit EscambiaTaxCollector.com and click the “What Do I Bring” button for information on what is needed for these services. Staff from the tax collector’s office will be on hand to answer all FLOW service questions and questions concerning all other tax collector services such as property tax, business tax receipts, concealed weapons licensing, etc. Citizens also can drop off property tax payments (checks only).
Pictured: The Florida Licensing on Wheels mobile office in Century earlier this year. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Barrineau Park Elementary School Reunion Set For Saturday
July 16, 2019
The Fourth Annual Barrineau Park Elementary School Reunion is coming up Saturday from 11 am. until 2 p.m. at the Barrineau Park Community Center.
The reunion is for anyone that attended the school from its origin in 1938 until its closure in 2003. Attendees should bring a covered dish for a potluck lunch — fried chicken will be provided along with ice and drinks.
There will be music (if you play an instrument, bring it), fellowship and fun.
RSVP will the number attended to (850) 587-5389.
Person Killed By Train In Cantonment
July 15, 2019
An adult woman was killed when she tried to crawl through a train Monday evening in Cantonment.
Witnesses said the train was stopped when she attempted to crawl under a train car, according to Deb Henley, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The train began to move, running over the woman.
The victim came to rest east of the intersection of Carver and Webb streets after the 7:30 p.m. incident.
Further details have not been released as the investigation continues.
Editor’s note: An Escambia County spokesperson initially identified the victim as an adult male Monday night. Tuesday morning, the ECSO released the the victim was an adult female, and this story was updated.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barber.
ECSO: Prison Escapee Carjacked Minivan In North Escambia While Armed With Machete
July 15, 2019
An Alabama prison escapee that remains on the run is accused of of an armed carjacking in Nokomis, NorthEscambia.com has learned.
Travis Wyatt Dawson, 41, was allegedly armed with a machete when he took a minivan from a relative on Miller Road just off Rockaway Creek Road early Sunday morning. The vehicle was later found abandoned in Mobile. No one was injured in the incident.
He eluded authorities in a manhunt led by U.S. Marshals in the area on Friday.
Dawson escaped from Loxley Work Release at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 10.
Authorities believe he was in the area of a relative’s home last Friday morning on Miller Road near the Florida community of Nokomis. A manhunt in the area later shifted focus early Friday afternoon north along Rockaway Creek Road into Atmore, Alabama. By late afternoon, authorities closed Highway 31 west of Atmore after a reported sighting.
Dawson was sentenced to 20 years in 2013 on a possession of a controlled substance conviction in Escambia County, Alabama.
Officials said he has previous local ties to the North Escambia and Atmore areas. He reportedly attended Ernest Ward High School. In 2003, he was sentenced in Escambia County, Florida, to one year in state prison for possession on drug paraphernalia and trespassing. Once released, he told the Florida Department of Corrections he was living on Washington Avenue in Atmore, according to state records. Information on his Alabama criminal history was not available.
Anyone with information on Dawson’s whereabouts is asked to call the Alabama Department of Corrections at (800) 831-8825 or 911.
Agencies involved in the manhunts Friday included the U.S. Marshals, the Alabama Department of Corrections, Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County (FL) Road Prison K-9 units, Atmore Police Department.
Pictured top: Officers from the Alabama Department of Corrections speak to an Escambia County (FL) deputy and a citizen a roadblock on Miller Road in Florida midday Friday. Dawson allegedly carjacked a minivan just a few yards from this location on Sunday. Pictured below: An Escambia County (FL) Road Prison K-9 team searches near a Rockaway Creek Road bridge that spans the Alabama-Florida state line Friday afternoon. Pictured bottom: An Escambia County (FL) deputy helps maintain a perimeter around a neighborhood along Rockaway Creek Road at Grubbs Street in Atmore Friday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Home Damaged By Fire
July 15, 2019
Fire damaged a Cantonment home Monday morning.
Firefighters responded to the home on Mintz Lane just north of Muscogee Road about 9:45 a.m. No one was at home at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries reported.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Live In This Part Of Cantonment? There’s A Free Neighborhood Cleanup This Week
July 15, 2019
Residents in part of the Cantonment area will have the opportunity to dispose of yard debris and other items free of charge Wednesday, July 17 during the Cantonment Neighborhood Cleanup in District 5. Only residents in the designated cleanup area are able to participate in the neighborhood cleanup. Items left at the curb outside of the cleanup area will not be collected. The general cleanup area is south of Well Line Road, north of Heaton Road, east of Highway 95 and Vircent, and West of Nowak Street. (Click map above to enlarge.)
During neighborhood cleanups, Escambia County departments team up to bring services to residents in an effort to keep local neighborhoods clean and safe. Participating is easy; residents in the cleanup area simply leave eligible items at the curb to be disposed of free of charge by Escambia County and partnering agencies.
All debris must be at the curb directly in front of your residence by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup. Please keep tires and paint cans separate from all other debris. Do not place piles under low-hanging lines or near poles, fences or mailboxes.
Items eligible for removal include:
Household appliances and electronics
Yard waste
Household junk and debris
Bicycles and toys
Old furniture and mattresses
Barbecue grills
Household hazardous waste (old paint, motor oil, chemicals, batteries)
Tires (limit 10 per household)
Items NOT eligible for removal include:
Building materials (concrete, bricks, blocks, roofing, drywall or lumber)
Explosives or ammunition
Auto parts
Dirt or sod
Vehicles or vessels
55-gallon drums of fluids
The neighborhood cleanup initiative involves an aggressive clean-up effort, targeting different neighborhoods throughout the county, with crew members and volunteers picking up a variety of debris and waste, including electronics, furniture and household items.
Since 2016, more than 1,885 tons (3,771,120 pounds) of debris were collected and disposed of through the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program.
Click map above to enlarge.
FWC Hunter Safety Courses Offered In Molino And Jay
July 15, 2019
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety courses in Molino and Jay.
Hunter safety courses are designed to help students become safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunters and learn about conservation.
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.
All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have ahunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
Courses will be held:
Escambia County
July 31 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & Aug. 31 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Molino Community Center
6450 Highway 95A in Molino
Santa Rosa County
July 17 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & Aug. 3 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Jay Community Center
5259 Booker Lane in Jay
July 24 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & Aug. 3 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Santa Rosa County Extension Services
6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton
Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.
Florida Gas Prices Decline Despite Barry
July 15, 2019
Florida gas prices declined through the weekend, even as Tropical Storm (to later become Hurricane) Barry moved over oil platforms and refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Most of Louisiana’s refineries appear to have weathered Tropical Storm Barry without operational incident. Only one refinery shut down on a precautionary basis, while others continued to run. The restart process can take about a week to complete if there is no damage. Nearly 73% of total Gulf of Mexico production was shut in (temporarily stopped), according to the Federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
The state average declined to $2.63 per gallon on Sunday. In Escambia County, Sunday’s average price per gallon of regular unleaded was also $2.63, but stations in Cantonment were as low as $2.54.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
July 15, 2019
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads and projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) – Nine Mile Road will be closed at U.S. 29 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, July 14 through Thursday, July 18 as crews drive piles for the new southbound bridge deck. Traffic control officers will be on-site to help direct motorists. The following detour will be in place:
- Eastbound Nine Mile Road will be reduced to one lane, directed to U.S. 29 southbound, U-turn at West Hood Drive, and return to Nine Mile Road.
- Westbound traffic will perform the same operation at West 9 1/2 Mile Road.
- U.S. 29 traffic between Interstate 10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road may experience alternating lane closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.
- Nine Mile Road (S.R. 10/U.S. 90A) Widening from Pine Forest Road to U.S. 29 – Drivers will experience the following impacts to traffic Sunday, July 14 through Monday, July 22:
- Pine Forest/Nine Mile Road Intersection: Alternating lane closures at the intersection of Nine Mile Road and Pine Forest Road from 8 p.m. Friday, July 19 to 6 a.m. Monday, July 22 as crews reconstruct the intersection to match the newly-constructed eastbound lanes. Traffic control officers will be on-site to help direct traffic.
- Cove Avenue at Nine Mile Road: Cove Avenue north of 9 Mile Road will be closed from 7 a.m. Tuesday, July 16 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 20 to continue drainage improvements. Traffic will be detoured to West 9 and a Half Mile Road and Fowler Avenue. Detour signs and variable message boards are in place to alert drivers of the temporary road closure and detour routes.
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Bridge- Bridge construction will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, July 14 through Wednesday, July 21:
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- Intermittent east and westbound lane closures on U.S. 98 from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- I-10 Routine Maintenance from U.S. 90A to east of Scenic Highway (Mile Markers 5-19)- There will be intermittent and alternating east and westbound lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, July 14 through Thursday, July 18 as crews replace overhead signs and lighting.
- I-10 over Perdido River Pavement Testing- There will be alternating east and westbound, outside lane closures on I-10 over the Perdido River at the Florida/Alabama state line from 8 p.m. Monday, July 15 to 5 a.m. Tuesday, July 16 as crews perform pavement testing operations.
- State Road (S.R.) 727 (Fairfield Drive) from South of Usher Circle to North of Hestia Place- Traffic on Fairfield Drive from south of Usher Circle to north of Hestia Place remains shifted to the west as crews complete the installation of the box culvert under the roadway. The north entrance to Usher Circle is also temporarily closed to traffic during the drainage operation. Residents will utilize the south entrance of Usher Circle.
- County Road (C.R.) 168 Bridge Replacement over Unnamed Branch in Northwest Century- Traffic was shifted onto a temporary bridge Wednesday, July 3 and the existing roadway will be closed to traffic and the temporary diversion will remain in place throughout the construction of the new bridge. Activities associated with the bridge replacement project continue and are anticipated to be complete late 2019.
- Crary Road Bridge Replacement over Pritchett Mill Creek- The project is complete and the roadway is open to traffic.
- Bratt Road Bridge Replacement over Canoe Creek - Bratt Road will continue to be closed near Canoe Creek. Drivers on Bratt Road, west of the bridge, will be detoured to Pine Barren Road and C.R. 4. Drivers east of the bridge will be detoured east on Bratt Road. The project is anticipated to be complete summer 2019.
- Hanks Road Bridge Replacement over Breastworks Creek - Construction activities continue. The roadway will be temporarily closed during construction. Drivers on Hanks Road, west of the bridge, will be detoured to C.R. 99 and C.R. 4. Drivers east of the bridge will utilize Pine Barren Road. The project is anticipated to be complete late 2019.
Santa Rosa County:
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Bridge- Bridge construction will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, July 14 through Wednesday July 21:
- Intermittent east and westbound lane closures on U.S. 98 from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- I-10 Widening from the Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) – The following construction related traffic impacts are planned for Interstate 10 and Avalon Boulevard from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, July 14 through Thursday, July 18
o Alternating lane closures, Sunday through Thursday, on Avalon Boulevard near the I-10 interchange as crews perform construction activities.
o Alternating lane closures on I-10 from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of Avalon Boulevard (Exit 22), Sunday through Thursday, as crews work to place final striping and to finish work list items.
- S.R. 87 Pavement Markings Replacement- Traffic will encounter alternating and intermittent minor delays at the following locations from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Friday until Thursday, July 30 as crews remove and replace pavement markings in the roadway. Law enforcement will be on site to direct traffic:
- U.S. 90 to Nicholas Lake Road
- U.S. 98 to Vonnie Tolbert Road
- S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to Hickory Hammock Road– All north and southbound travel lanes on State Road (S.R.) 87, between County Road (C.R.) 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) and two miles south of the Yellow River are now open and the speed limit is now 65 mph. Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures as crews complete construction activities and the speed limit is reduced to 45 mph through the active work zones.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.