Death Of Pollard Woman Ruled As Accidental Drowning
April 19, 2019
The cause of death has been released for the Pollard, AL, woman who went missing days before her body was found in the Escambia River.
The autopsy report says 74-year old Eva McBride accidently drowned.
McBride was last seen at her home on November 23 on McBride Circle, east of Flomaton and very near the Alabama/Florida line. Her home is located less than a mile from the Conecuh River, which becomes the Escambia River in Florida.
Her body was found December 9 in Santa Rosa County about a mile south of the Terrell’s Landing boat ramp off Oil Plant Road, upriver from Fischer Landing in Century.
The autopsy report also states she also suffered from dementia.
Florida House Approves Lower Minimum Age For Corrections Officers
April 19, 2019
The Florida House has unanimously passed a bill that allows 18-year old corrections officers in Florida.
The minimum age for a corrections officer in Florida is currently 19. The 18-year old minimum, if it becomes law, would apply not only to the state prison system, but also to county jails in an effort to solve staffing issues.
A similar bill is moving through the Senate. The effort is backed by the Florida Department of Corrections.
The bill also would keep drones away from prisons in an effort to crack down on contraband.
Pictured: Inside a prisoner dorm at Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Escambia Man Gets Three Life Sentences For Attempted Murder Of Three Deputies
April 19, 2019
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for the attempted murder of three Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
Demetric Denario Carter was convicted of three counts of attempted first degree premeditated murder with a firearm on a law enforcement officer. A jury also found Carter to be in actual possession of a firearm and that he discharged the firearm. The conviction carries a mandatory life sentence. The case was tried in front of Circuit Judge Jeff Burns and sentencing is currently set for April 17.
On October 27, 2017, Carter entered the Warrington Bank on Barrancas Avenue. He approached one of the tellers and told her to call the police. He then stated he did not want to take it out on them and to tell the police to meet him behind the bank. Law enforcement responded and made contact with Carter and it was discovered he had a firearm in his back pocket. After repeatedly telling Carter to get on the ground and to keep his hands visible, a taser was displayed. when carter reached and grabbed the firearm, the taser was deployed. carter then fired several shots in the direction of three deputies who returned fire.
Carter has several prior convictions including convictions for aggravated assault by threat with a firearm, domestic battery by strangulation, fleeing or attempting to elude a leo in an agency vehicle with siren and lights activated, sell, manufacture, deliver or possess a controlled substance with intent, possession of controlled substance (over 20 grams of cannabis), possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with no valid driver’s license, possession of prescription drugs without prescription, resisting an officer without violence, battery, and possession of a controlled substance (less than 20 grams of cannabis). He had just been released from prison 10 months prior to this incident.
Northbound Highway 29 Ramps At Nine Mile Road To Close Through Monday
April 19, 2019
The northbound Highway 29 off and on-ramps at Nine Mile Road in Escambia County will be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, April 19 to 6 a.m. Monday, April 22 to provide safe work zones for crews to construct partial segments of the future off and on-ramps. The following detour will be in place:
- Nine Mile Road to Highway 29 northbound - Palafox Street, 9 ½ Mile Road, to U.S. 29.
- Highway 29 northbound to Nine Mile Road – W. Hood Drive, Palafox Street, to Nine Mile Road.
Construction activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers should use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the work zone, and watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Storms Cause Power Outages, Minor Problems
April 19, 2019
By 2:30 a.m. Friday, storms had caused few problems in the North Escambia area:
- The largest single power outage Thursday night in the North Escambia area was reported about 8:40 p.m. with 430 Escambia River Electric customers in the dark from Oak Grove south to Barrineau Park.
- A downed power line was reported on Molino Road just east of Highway 95A. The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
- About 11:30 p.m. a small tree was reported down alongside Highway 97 south of Walnut Hill after a second round of storms. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
- At midnight, a power line was reported down and arcing at West State Line and Shady Lane in Century. The downed line sparked a small grass fire and left 125 EREC customers without power. The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
- At 1:13 a.m., a tree was reported in the roadway at Nine Mile Road and I-10.. The Beulah Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
- At about 2:30 a.m. Gulf Power reported nearly 2,100 customers without power in Escambia County, 11 in Santa Rosa County. Escambia River Electric reported 850 customers without power, with 206 of those in Escambia County.
Tate Softball Blanks Washington 16-0; Northview Shuts Out Baker 12-0
April 19, 2019
Tate 16, Washington 0
The Tate Lady Aggies shut out Washington 16-0 Friday.
Amber Decoux led the Aggies with a grand slam in the first.
Abbie Burks pitched a complete game win, going three innings, allowing no runs on only one hit, striking out four and walking none.
Northview 12 Baker 0
The Northview Lady Chiefs beat Baker 12-0 in six innings Friday.
Tori Herrington pitched the win with eight strikeouts. She was 2-3 at bat with one RBI. Also for Northview: Ashley Ragsdale 1-3; Aubree Love 2-4; Kailyn Watson 2-4, 2RBI; Makayla Jeneske 1-4, 2RBI; Nevaeh Brown 2-4; 3RBI; Heather Knowles 1-3.
Blue Wahoos Kazoo Airplane Unveiled
April 19, 2019
Silver Airways, unveiled a Pensacola Blue Wahoos themed aircraft Thursday morning.
Named after the Wahoos’ mascot mascot, the plate dubbed “Kazoo” rolled out of Silver Airways’ Orlando maintenance hangar and made its maiden flight to Pensacola International Airport.
The new livery of the Saab 340 aircraft showcases joint branding featuring Silver Airways’ iconic turbine and the baseball team’s powerful Blue Wahoo. “Kazoo” was designed by Steven Ward, a Silver Airways mechanic and tattoo artist, and the airline’s technical operations team carried out the plane’s transformation.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sex Offender Gets 10 Years For Sexually Abusing Teen In Century
April 18, 2019
A registered sex offender has been sentenced to a decade in prison for sexually abusing a teen girl in Century.
Peter Mika Lotoa, 32, was convicted of six felony counts of sexual battery on a victim 16 or 17 years old. After he completes a 10-year state prison sentence, he will be on sexual offender probation and not allowed to have contact with any person under the age of 18.
The girl’s father told investigators that he was friends with Lotoa, and he learned that Lotoa was having a sexual relationship with his 16-year old daughter. The father stated that he had received information from Lotoa’s girlfriend saying that she suspected sexual interaction between the minor and Lotoa.
The dad provided law enforcement with a screenshot of an apology he said he received in a Facebook message from Lotoa in which he stated that he and the teen started out as just friends and he did not mean for it to happen. The Facebook message also says that he cares for the teen and would die for her, and he “knows what the future holds for him”.
The teen stated that she had unprotected sexual intercourse with Lotoa on six occasion and those dates, from January 8, 2018, to March 14, 2018, were noted in her phone. Lotoa was 31 years old during that time period.
Lotoa was arrested in April 2018 at an address in the 1100 block of Williams Ditch Road.
He was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious battery with a victim age 12-15 in March 2005 and sentenced to three years in state prison.
Child Dies After Being Struck By Vehicle At Community Center In Century
April 18, 2019
A 4-year old child died after being struck by a vehicle Wednesday evening at a Century community center.
The incident happened at the Carver Community Center on Jefferson Avenue about 6:20 p.m.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 66-year old Alberta Knight of Century was in the parking lot of the Carver Community Center on Jefferson Avenue when she pulled her Ford SUV forward and struck the child about 6:20 p.m.
Ka-merius J. Dortch 4, was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where he was pronounced deceased.
The vehicle was on the community center grounds between a building and basketball courts. A basketball could be seen under the vehicle.
Any charges against Knight are pending the outcome of the FHP investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Group Calls On DeSantis To Launch Investigation Into Earthquakes, Curtail Oil Permits
April 18, 2019
An environmental group says they are concerned recent earthquakes in the North Escambia area may be linked to oil and gas operations, and they are calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to stop issuing new permits and ban fracking.
“We are very concerned that oil and gas operations may be the cause of the quakes,” said Jorge Aguilar, southern region director for Food & Water Watch. The organization held a press conference Wednesday in front of the Escambia County governmental complex downtown.
“Unfortunately, our Florida state officials have remained very silent on the potential reality that the region may be experiencing man-made earthquakes,” he told NorthEscambia.com. “That is why, today, we are demanding that Governor DeSantis launch a full investigation into the cause of these earthquakes given that the experience in other communities is that the quakes can grow in intensity. Florida should not allow new permits for oil exploration in the region or allow fracking, a more intensive form of drilling that produces even larger volumes of wastewater containing even more dangerous chemicals, until we know more about the cause of these quakes.”
Aguilar said his group does not believe fracking is happening right now in Florida, but he said it is allowed in Alabama.
“We really don’t know exactly where the oil industry in Southern Alabama and Florida is disposing of this oil drilling waste or how much is going underground. That is why a full investigation must be launched,” Aguilar said.
There have been nine small earthquakes recorded by the USGS along the Alabama/Florida line since March 6.
Before March 6, there had not been a quake in the area in about 20 years. The USGS has not linked the seismic activity to oil and gas operations, but has said the area sits on the Bahamas Seismic Zone.
Additional seismic recording devices have been installed in the area to allow scientists to gather additional data.
Pictured top: A press conference in Pensacola Wednesday. Photo for NorthEscambia.com. Pictured top: An Pictured below: Four earthquakes, ranging from in magnitude from 1.8 to 2.8 struck April 11 and 12. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
