Two Injured In Crash That Shutdown Highway 29 Wednesday Afternoon
May 15, 2025
Two people were injured in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon on Highway 29 near Quintette Road.
The crash happened around 5:15 p.m. and involved a SUV and a sedan.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 16-year-old male driver of a SUV failed to yield at the stop sign at the end of Quintette Road. He entered the path of the sedan, which was driven by a 33-year-old Flomaton man.
One of the injured was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital by medical helicopter.
The crash shutdown Highway 29 both northbound and southbound.
FHP cited the teen for failing to yield at the stop sign.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Corrections Welcomes 12 New Officer Trainees
May 15, 2025
Escambia County Corrections has announced that 12 new corrections officers will be joining the department after successfully graduating from George Stone Criminal Justice Training Center as Corrections Academy #127.
The officer trainees were among 22 graduates at in the corrections academy at the George Stone Criminal Justice Training Center, marking the completion of a rigorous 420-hour training program designed to prepare them for careers in corrections.
New Escambia County corrections graduates include Laton Bates, Casie Cassaras, Brandon Danielson, Hannah Forte, Cody Fryman, Wesley Hart, James Kessler, Andrew Manning, Austin McLean, Geneva Simmons, Corey Tolbirt, and Thomas White.
“These graduates have worked hard and shown exceptional dedication to public service,” Escambia County Corrections Captain Shawn Hankins said. “We are proud to have twelve of them join our team, and we look forward to their success.”
Over the course of three months, the trainees participated in an intensive curriculum that combined physical training, academic studies, and hands-on certifications. The program, recognized for its demanding nature, equipped the students with the skills and knowledge necessary to handle the complexities of working in corrections.
The training curriculum covered essential topics including defensive tactics, physical fitness, and specialized certifications such as CPR, first aid, and firearms. Students also participated in academic courses that explored the legal, ethical and procedural aspects of corrections work.
To further encourage qualified individuals to pursue careers in Corrections, Escambia County Corrections is offering sign-on bonuses for certified corrections officers and officer trainees. Certified Corrections Officers are eligible for an $8,000 sign-on bonus, and officer trainees who want to join the George Stone Corrections Academy and become certified are eligible for a $5,000 sign-on bonus, plus a paid scholarship to attend the Corrections Academy.
Wild Pitching Costs Wahoos In 9-0 Loss
May 15, 2025
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos struggled to find the strike zone in their Education Day game on Wednesday afternoon, falling 9-0 to the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
Pensacola pitching walked six batters and hit five more, giving the Trash Pandas free baserunners throughout the game. Robby Snelling (L, 2-3) took the loss, allowing five runs in 4.0+ innings as Rocket City evened up the series at one game apiece.
Snelling, who struggled in the first inning in a disappointing start last week in Biloxi, had trouble out of the gate again against the Trash Pandas. Three walks, including two with the bases loaded to Christian Moore and Jaxx Groshans, gave Rocket City a quick 2-0 lead.
That would turn out to be more than enough for Joel Hurtado (W, 3-2), who worked 7.0 scoreless innings on only 83 pitches. The Pensacola offense managed just three singles against the hard-throwing righthander.
The Trash Pandas added another run in the third inning on a Myles Emmerson double, and chased Snelling from the game in the fifth with three singles to load the bases with nobody out. Ricky DeVito entered and hit two batters on consecutive pitches, forcing in two more runs. DeVito would hit two more batters in the sixth inning, tying a Southern League record with four hit batsmen over 2.1 innings. Three Pensacola errors allowed both free baserunners to score in the sixth, extending the Rocket City lead to 7-0.
Two more Rocket City runs scored in the seventh on a Sam Brown RBI groundout and a wild pitch. José Quijada and Camden Minacci worked the final two innings for the Trash Pandas to complete a four-hit shutout.
Pensacola reliever Nigel Belgrave was a bright spot, striking out seven batters over 2.2 scoreless innings.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Thursday night. First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Retired Sheriff’s Deputy Doing Well After Stranger’s Kidney Donation Saves His Life
May 14, 2025
A retired Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s prayers for a kidney donor have been answered.
NorthEscambia.com first told you about Rudy Brown in June 2024 as he humbly asked for help to find a kidney.
That story led to a stranger, Doyle Carpenter, finding out that he is the perfect match for Rudy. The successful transplant was on Monday.
“Good is good,” Brown said Tuesday. “Kidney is working overtime. It removed 12 liters of fluid in the first 12 hours after surgery; it started working immediately after the transplant. Thank you again Doyle.”
Rudy joined the ECSO in December 1989 and spent 24 years on patrol in Escambia County. He retired due to his medical condition in 2013 and underwent a liver transplant in 2018.
“I pretty much bled out two times on the table,” he said. “It nearly killed me.”
The required anti-rejection medications caused his kidneys to fail just over year later. He’s in final stages of kidney failure and has been on the transplant list since October 2020, but his number never came up as he stayed on dialysis.
A donor like Doyle was his only option to live.
“I was immediately drawn to his story,” said Doyle, an anesthesia technician at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola. “As a former EMT, his situation struck a chord with me, especially after all his years of service.”
“I felt like it was something I was called to do,” Doyle said. “I took a compatibility test and learned we were a perfect match.”
Finding a perfect kidney match with a stranger is extremely rare, with the odds estimated to be around 1 in 100,000. So is becoming an altruistic donor, with only 300 to 400 Americans each year choosing to donate a kidney to someone they don’t know.
Rudy said many people at his church were tested but were not suitable candidates.
“When Doyle told me he was going to get tested, I appreciated it but didn’t expect much to come of it,” he said. “But when he called back saying he was a match and still wanted to donate, I saw the Lord’s fingerprints all over this miracle.”
“Rudy smiled so much; it made me so happy,” Doyle said.
“This was God’s plan,” he said.
“God is indeed good,” Rudy said Tuesday.
Pictured: Doyle Carpenter (left) and Rudy Brown (right). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Motorcyclist Critically Injured After Striking Speed Bump in Cantonment
May 14, 2025
A man was thrown off his motorcycle and critically injured when he struck a speed bump too fast in Cantonment.
It happened around 2:45 p.m. on Tate Road off Kingsfield Road.
The man, reportedly in his 60s, was transported to an area hospital as a trauma alert.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Northview Beats Jay To Win First Ever Regional Title, Advance To State (With Gallery)
May 14, 2025
The Northview Lady Chiefs beat Jay 4-1 to win the Rural FHSAA Softball regional championship 4-1 over Jay. It is the first-ever softball regional title in the history of the school.
“These girls worked very hard this year, and the coaches worked very hard,” Northview Head Coach Amy Holland said. “I’m just telling you they deserve it. They came out fighting…They came out of top, a very young team, but we’ve got a lot to look forward to down south. I’m ready.” The Chiefs have just one senior of this year’s roster, pitcher Jamison Gilman.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Northview took the lead in the top of the third inning when Daviona Randolph doubled to score one run, and Avery Stuckey singled to score two runs.
Sophomore Mikayla McAnally earned the regional win for the Lady Chiefs. In a complete seven innings, she gave up three hits and one run while striking out nine and walking just one. Layna Lowry took the loss for Jay, surrendering four runs on eight hits, walking three and striking out three.
Stuckey led Northview at the plate with two RBIs as she went 1-2. Gilman, McAnally, Randolph, Stuckey, Riley Brooks, Addysen Bolen, Bailey Burkette, and Kylee Langham each had one hit for the Chiefs.
“Tonight, they’re playing on the fence,” John McAnally, Northview hitting coach, said. I tried to stretch a couple that came off the fence, and we lost a couple of runs at the plate on close plays.”
For Jay, Morgan Barrow went 1-for-3 at the plate with one RBI. Kiley Samford and Mylee Frazier each added a hit for the Lady Royals.
Northview (21-6) advances to face a yet to be determined opponent in the state semifinals at 10 a.m. (EDT) on Tuesday, May 20 at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, on the northeast side of the Orlando metro. The winner will advance to the state championship game at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) on Wednesday, May 21.
Jay’s season ended at 21-4.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“This has been a long time coming,” Holland said. We’ve been here so many times, so many times. It feels great.”
“It doesn’t feel real. I don’t think it’s click that we are to state yet,” Gilman said. “We worked really, really hard, really hard for this.”
As they prepare for the final four, Gilman and McAnally are both quick to give credit to God for their chance to go to state.
“On the bus, we all pray together, and one of teammates goes around to every single person, and we pray in groups. Then we pray individually,” McAnally said after the game. “We just know we have to give all the glory to God…and we’ve just to know that we do it all for Him.”
“He gives us peace,” Gilman added. “We are never nervous; He always helps us go in with a clear mind ready for the game.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Fleeing From Park With Gun, Drugs
May 14, 2025
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office charged a Cantonment man with possession of drugs and a firearm at the Escambia County Skate Park on Chimes Way.
Vontarius Lavont Gulley, 19, was charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, being in possession of a handgun on his person at age 19, possession of synthetic cannabinoids, and obstruction of justice resisting officer without violence.
Deputies responded to a reported robbery at the park on May 3 where an alleged victim told deputies that he had been robbed by a man that ran towards Chaser’s Lounge on W Street. That’s where deputies spotted a man matching the description of the alleged robber. The man, later identified as Gulley, immediately ran from deputies.
A deputy gave chase on foot, reporting that Gulley held up a handgun with an extended magazine in his right hand before throwing the firearm under a parked vehicle. He was taken into custody.
Deputies returned to the park, but the supposed victim had left the scene and could not be located. According to an arrest report, a 9mm handgun was located under a vehicle in the lounge parking lot, where the deputy reported seeing a fleeing Gulley throw it.
Deputies located 273 grams of synthetic cannabinoids in Gulley’s bag, the report states.
Gulley told deputies that he was in the park when he observed a male holding the bag, and the male reached into the bag as if he had a gun. He stated he believed the man was going to harm him. He stated the male dropped the bag, which he picked up before running out of fear of being harmed. He denied knowing about the narcotics in the bag.
Gulley was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $12,500 bond.
Ernest Ward Middle School Names Students Of The Month
May 14, 2025
Ernest Ward Middle School recently named their employee and student of the month for April. Pictured with Principal Tyvanna Boulanger (right) are math/inclusion teacher MaryBeth Geary; Jesse McElhaney, eight grade; Wyatt Jones, seventh grade; Colton Hopper, sixth grade. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Tax Collector Bringing Mobile Services to Century Thursday, Walnut Hill In June
May 14, 2025
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Mobile Identification and Licensing Office (MILO) will be in Century on Thursday, and upcoming dates and locations have been announced through July.
MILO, a fully functional tax collector office on wheels, will be at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse on Thursday,May 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
MILO offers a convenient way for residents to access essential tax collector services, including:
- Driver License Services: Renewals, replacements, out-of-state license conversions/reciprocations, and address/name changes.
- Identification Cards: First-time issuance and renewals.
- Vehicle Services: Registration renewals and replacements, title transfers, and parking placards.
- Tax Payments: Property tax payments.
- Business Tax Receipts: Applications and renewals.
- Certified Driver Transcripts
Written and driving tests are not available at the MILO unit.
This initiative aims to bring services to areas of Escambia County that may have limited access to traditional tax collector offices, particularly during disaster recovery or for residents in assisted living facilities, community centers, and correctional facilities.
Future MILO Dates in Century:
- May 15, 2025: Billy G. Ward Courthouse
- July 17, 2025: Billy G. Ward Courthouse
Future MILO Dates in Walnut Hill:
- June 12, 2025: Walnut Hill Community Center, Walnut Hill, FL
Florida drivers may renew their vehicle registrations for a period of one or two years and may renew up to three months in advance of the registration expiration. Vehicle registrations expire at midnight on the first owner’s birth date unless the owner is a business.
Pictured: The Escambia County Tax Collector’s MILO at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Olmstead Delivers Walk-off Win As Wahoos End Losing Streak
May 14, 2025
by Bill Vilona
The Blue Wahoos didn’t have much to celebrate on the end of their road trip.
They got some relief Tuesday night back home.
With their offense still in a slumber, the Blue Wahoos got clutch pitching, then a game-winning, two-out single from Johnny Olmstead in the 11th inning for a 3-2 walk-off win against the Rocket City Trash Pandas to end a five-game losing streak.
Moments earlier, reliever Jesse Bergin became the biggest star for Pensacola, after loading the bases with a pair of hit batters, then striking out the next three batters with well-placed fastballs to end the threat and keep the score tied.
A crowd of 3,112 on a Doggone Tuesday at Blue Wahoos Stadium watched a game where the Blue Wahoos had chances to take a lead, but again could not produce a big hit. This was the issue in Biloxi last week when the team dropped the final five games of the series and scored just eight runs combined in those games.
But Tuesday was different from a pitching perspective.
The Blue Wahoos got an outstanding start from Jacob Miller, who worked five innings, allowed four hits, no runs, one walk and five strikeouts.
The four relievers behind him were also plus points.
Zach McCambley worked two scoreless innings, striking out four of the seven batters he faced. Jacob White had a tough break in the ninth when a wild pitch led to a tying run. Josh Eckness worked two innings, gave up a run but retired the final two batters.
The Blue Wahoos missed a chance in the 10th to win the game, but caught a break when Bergin pitched out of a jam, then Olmstead jumped on a first pitch fastball to win the game, scoring Jared Serna.
The teams will have a quick turnaround, playing at 11 a.m. Wednesday in an Education Day game with school children from the region attending.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Rocket City Trash Pandas vs. Blue Wahoos.
WHEN: Wednesday through Sunday.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium.
GAMETIMES: Wednesday’s game is a special 11 a.m. start for Education Day with area schools, but is also open to all fans who want to attend the only mid-day game of the season; Thursday Thru Saturday games start at 6:05 p.m. Sunday’s game starts at 1:05 p.m.– the final 1:05 start until mid-September.