Former Beulah Middle Teacher Gets 54 Years For Sex Crimes With Student
August 8, 2025
A former Beulah Middle School teacher was convicted on Thursday to 54 Years in state prison for sex crimes involving a student.
In early June, an Escambia Count yjury found 63-year-old Winston Hezekiah Foster guilty of two counts of lewd and lascivious battery and two counts of unlawful activity with certain minors. When he is sentenced in August, he faces up to 60 years in prison.
The State Attorney’s Office received a complaint from the victim who alleged Foster, her former middle school art teacher, had a sexual relationship with her from October of 2017 when she was 15 years old until September 2019 when she was 17 years old. She said Foster was her art teacher for sixth, seventh and eighth grade while she attended Woodham Middle School.
She told investigators that it was not uncommon for art students to visit Foster before school. She said Foster “started to be more forward with her and made comments that she thought were ‘weird’ for him to say,” according to an arrest warrant, before inviting her to do things outside of school. She said he invited her for sushi, and they went back to his house to eat. She said he kissed her, but that was it. In 2017, he allegedly took her to see a movie in about October 2017 before taking her to his house and having sex, the warrant obtained by NorthEscambia.com states.
“During the summer months, when Foster was off and his wife was at work, he would pick her up from her home and take her back to his house,” according to the warrant. The victim also alleged they had sex in a supply closet in his classroom at Woodham Middle School in 2017 and then at Beulah Middle School in 2018 and 2019. She also stated they had “virtual sex” through an app while Foster was in Houston visiting his very ill daughter.
According to school district documents, Foster was an art teacher at Beulah Middle School and previously at Woodham Middle School. His employment was later terminated.
Flomaton Police Warn Residents of Possible Rabid Fox Sightings
August 8, 2025
The Flomaton Police Department is alerting residents about possible sightings of a rabid gray fox.
FPD said they have received several reports of the possibly rabid fox in the area of Jackson and College streets, but there has been no confirmation of a rabid fox.
The department is encouraging residents to use caution outside and reporting any fox sightings to (51) 296-5811.
File photo.
Reno’s Reptiles Visit The Library
August 8, 2025
Visitors had a chance to get up close and personal with slithering snakes, lizards, turtles, and spiders on Thursday morning at the Century Branch Library with Reno’s Reptiles.
There is on more opportunity to see Reno’s Reptiles at the Molino Library:
- Saturday at 1 p.m. in the old cafeteria (Take the sidewalk between the left side of the library and the Head Start building. The cafeteria is located behind Head Start.)
The event has free admission and is open to all ages.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Approves $200,000 Settlement In Century Woman’s Jail Death
August 8, 2025
Escambia County voted Thursday night to approve a $200,000 settlement in the death of a Century woman with special needs who died in the county jail in 2021.
The medical malpractice lawsuit was filed against Escambia County and West Florida Hospital. The lawsuit was filed in January 2024 by Melania Smith on behalf of her daughter, Alia Wardell, who died alone in jail in November 2021 after being discharged from the hospital into the Escambia County Jail.
The lawsuit alleged that both the hospital and the county failed to provide Wardell with life-saving medications for her diabetes and other serious conditions. According to the suit, a West Florida Hospital nurse reportedly noted concerns about discharging Wardell, stating she needed constant monitoring, and the patient herself had expressed fear of dying in jail. The hospital was accused of discharging Wardell in an “unsafe manner” and failing to inform the jail of her medical needs and medications, including Desmopressin and Hydrocortisone. West Florida Hospital has already reached a confidential settlement in the case.
The lawsuit further claimed that Escambia County EMTs and an LPN at the jail also failed to identify Wardell’s medical needs, including her prescriptions, and that she was not provided her medications.
Wardell had been admitted to West Florida Hospital on November 16, 2021, and was later charged with multiple counts of battery for allegedly attacking nurses. She was discharged on November 22 into the custody of Escambia County deputies. On November 28, she was found unresponsive in her jail cell and was pronounced dead at Baptist Hospital.
Escambia County’s $200,000 settlement to resolve all present and future claims and in exchange for a release and hold harmless agreement. The county has already paid a portion of the deductible and will be responsible for payment of the balance.
This is an update to a story we brought you earlier in the week.
Salzman To Host Distribution Saturday With Backpacks, School Supplies And Food Boxes
August 8, 2025
Rep. Michelle Salzman, in collaboration with Farm Share and a coalition of community sponsors and partners, will host the food distribution and backpack giveaway on Saturday, August 9 beginning at 7:30 a.m. at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church.
Items to be distributed while supplies last include a Farm Share food box, a backpack full of supplies and lunch boxes.
The drive-thru event will be at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church, 6205 North W Street, from 7:30 a.m. until. Vehicles can begin lining up at 6 a.m.
BOCC Approves $20K For Tate Baseball Field Artificial Turf Following Previous Northview Allocation
August 8, 2025
The Escambia County Commission is allocating $20,000 to the county school board for artificial turf infrastructure for the Tate High School Aggies baseball field. This funding will be provided through an interlocal agreement between the Board of County Commissioners and the school board.
The commission made an identical $20,000 allocation in October 2024 for the Northview High School Chiefs baseball field, and the turf was completed for the start of the 2025 baseball season (pictured above).
The commission approved both allocations from Commissioner Steven Barry’s District 5 Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) discretionary fund.
Pictured below: Artificial turf in place on the Northview High School baseball field in March for the Chiefs’ senior night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Bettered B Biscuits In Doubleheader Sweep
August 8, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos were swept in a doubleheader by the Montgomery Biscuits on Thursday night, falling 2-1 in game one before dropping the nightcap by a 7-0 final.
Game one was a duel between Biscuits starter Jonny Cuevas and Blue Wahoos starter Dax Fulton (L, 5-8). Cuevas, the first man up in a scheduled bullpen game, allowed only two walks over 4.0 hitless innings as Fulton allowed only two balls hit out of the infield in his first 5.0 innings.
The Blue Wahoos broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth, turning a Fenwick Trimble double and Kemp Alderman double play grounder into a 1-0 lead against Biscuits reliever Ryan Shreve (W, 3-3).
Fulton, asked to protect the lead, allowed one-out singles to Homer Bush Jr. and Jadher Areinamo before Cooper Kinney blasted a go-ahead, two-run double off the top of the right field wall.
Though Will Kempner left two of Fulton’s runners in scoring position to avoid further damage, the Pensacola offense couldn’t muster a rally against Derrick Edington (S, 7) in their final chance to avoid a 2-1, seven-inning defeat.
In game two, TJ Nichols (W, 1-0) impressed in his Double-A debut for the Biscuits. The righty worked 6.0 scoreless innings, coaxing four double plays, in support of a Montgomery offensive outburst.
Bush circled the bases with a single, two steals and a throwing error for a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Jake Brooks (L, 0-1). Tatem Levins laced a two-run single in the fourth for a 3-0 Biscuits lead, and singles from Cooper Kinney and Gregory Barrios highlighted a four-run fifth that put the game out of reach for a 7-0 final.
The Biscuits were 11-for-11 in stolen bases on the doubleheader, highlighted by Bush’s six steals in a 5-for-7 evening.
In taking the first three games of this week’s series, the Biscuits have trimmed their deficit in the second half South Division race to 3.5 games behind the first-place Blue Wahoos.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Biscuits on Friday.
One Airlifted With Serious Injuries After Bratt Rollover Crash
August 7, 2025
One person was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash in Bratt, on Thursday morning.
The crash happened around 8:00 a.m. on Pine Barren Road, just north of Hanks Road.
The driver of a northbound Hyundai Accent, a 24-year-old Atmore man, crossed the centerline and collided with a southbound Toyota 4Runner driven by a 30-year-old Century woman. The Hyundai left the roadway and overturned against an embankment. The 4Runner came to rest just off the opposite side of the road.
“The driver of the Hyundai was fatigued and fell asleep while driving, crossing the center line into the southbound lane of travel,” the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The driver of the Hyundai was airlifted by a LifeFlight helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. The driver of the Toyota suffered minor injuries and refused EMS transport.
The crash temporarily closed Pine Barren Road.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Super Speeder: Man Charged In High Speed Chase That Ended In Crash Near Jim Allen Elementary
August 7, 2025
A high-speed chase Wednesday afternoon ended with a suspect crashing into a wooded area near Jim Allen Elementary School on Highway 95A. He was later booked into jail on multiple charges, including a violation of Florida’s new “super speeder” law that went into effect on July 1.
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper observed a sedan traveling at a high rate of speed on Highway 29 near Nine Mile Road and attempted a traffic stop. FHP said the driver, later identified as 29-year-old Tavares Shaquille Amel Moses, started to slow before accelerating away from the trooper, reaching speeds of 96 mph on northbound Highway 29.
Moses veered onto Highway 95A and then lost control while attempting to pass another vehicle, crashing through a fence and into a wooded area where the vehicle overturned.
Troopers said Moses attempted to flee on foot and was tased by the trooper. He was tased a second time when he again tried to flee.
FHP said Moses received minor injuries and was transported to the hospital by Escambia County EMS for evaluation. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail just after 9 p.m. Wednesday, with bond set at $14,000.
The trooper was not injured.
Moses was charged with fleeing and eluding, fleeing and eluding with disregard for safety of others, driving without a license, resisting arrest, and operating a motor vehicle exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 mph (commonly known as Florida’s new “super speeder” law).
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Women Charged With Multiple Child Abuse, Animal Cruelty Counts
August 7, 2025
Two Flomaton women were recently arrested on multiple counts of child abuse and animal cruelty.
Jessica Ann-Connie Wright and Molly Ann Weaver, both 39, were each charged with two counts of felony willful abuse of a child under 18 and two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.
On July 5, the Flomaton Police Department responded to an animal complaint at a mobile home in the 3100 block of Old Flomaton Road. Police Chief Dereck Lowry said officers discovered unsanitary conditions inside the home. He said an animal that had been deceased for an extended period of time was found in the home along with two other animals.
“During the investigation, it was revealed that two young juveniles had also lived in the residence and had been exposed to the unsafe and unsanitary conditions,” Lowry said.
Wright is in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton, and Weaver is in the Escambia County Jail in Pensacola without bond awaiting extradition back to Alabama.