Pallets Of Peanut Butter Donated To Local Food Pantries
December 20, 2015
Local producer Rodney Helton, along with Kimberly and Mayson, helped to deliver peanut butter to local food pantries. Helton Brothers and Tri-County Peanut supported the recent UF/IFAS Peanut Butter Challenge by donating two entire pallets of peanut butter. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Known Injuries In Pickup Rollover
December 19, 2015
There were no known injuries in a single vehicle rollover discovered early Saturday morning about nine miles west of Walnut Hill.
The pickup truck had flipped off the roadway in a remote area on South Pineville Road between Arthur Brown Road and Occie Phillips Road. When firefighters received the call about 2:30 a.m., they arrived to find the vehicle cold and abandoned with no driver around. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Atmore Ambulance also responded to the crash.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Atmore Woman Killed In Highway 29 Crash; Two Others Critically Injured
December 19, 2015
A three vehicle wreck Friday night in Cantonment claimed the life of an Atmore woman while critically injuring two other people.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 52-year old Debra Marlene Ahearn of Cantonment was traveling southbound in a 2006 Town and Country van on Highway 29 near Muscogee Road when she made a turn directly into the path of a northbound Chevrolet Tahoe driven by 56-year old John Edward Ryland of Atmore. The Tahoe was then struck by a northbound Chevrolet Cobalt driven by 21-year old Dontavious Rashwn Anderson of Cantonment.
A passenger in the Tahoe, 61-year old Barbara M. Ryland of Atmore, was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where she was pronounced deceased shortly after the 6:11 pm. crash. The driver of the Tahoe, John Ryland, was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.
Ahearn was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition, while Anderson was taken to West Florida Hospital with minor injuries.
Barbara Ryland was not wearing a seat belt, according to a FHP report; everyone else involved in the crash was properly restrained.
Any charges in the crash are pending the outcome of a traffic homicide investigation, according to the FHP.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
December 19, 2015
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending December 17 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officers Manning, Barnard and Pettey worked information they received about an individual trespassing and hunting on private property. After several days of working the information, they discovered the suspect’s car in the area. The officers staged around the area and Officer Manning stopped the individual as he was leaving. Officer Manning spoke to the individual and he claimed to have permission to hunt on an adjacent property.
Officer Manning discovered the subject had an active warrant for his arrest and that he was driving on a suspended license. While speaking to the subject, he admitted to being a convicted felon. He said that he knew he wasn’t supposed to possess firearms but just could not help it because he liked to hunt too much.
Officer Manning confirmed the subject was a convicted felon and seized the three firearms in his possession. Officer Manning arrested and transported the subject to the Escambia County Jail. In addition to the active warrant, the subject was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, knowingly driving on a suspended license and hunting without a license.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Santa Rosa County officers conducted a detail in conjunction with the Aviation Section targeting illegal night hunting. Aviation personnel contacted Officer P. Rockwell when they spotted a vehicle shining a light in an open field in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of deer. The aviation personnel provided Officer Rockwell the necessary coordinates to intersect and stop the vehicle. During the stop, a loaded shotgun with a chambered round and a spotlight were discovered. The driver and passenger were issued a citation for attempting to take deer at night with a gun and light.
During the fall dog training season on the Eglin Reservation Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Officer Jones received a complaint from a citizen stating that an individual stole his hunting dog. An investigation conducted by Officers Jones and Tolbert indicated the following events. The complainant and his companions encountered an individual who had a dog in his vehicle that appeared to be a dog owned by the complainant. At about the same time, they saw the individual throw something into the woods and then drive away. They went to the location and found a dog identification collar belonging to the complainant. The complainant followed and confronted the individual and retrieved the dog. Later in the day, a radio tracking collar that had been used on the same dog was found in the woods at the same location as the identification collar. The collars had been cut. Several witnesses were interviewed and gave sworn statements including the suspect. An arrest warrant was obtained charging the suspect with grand theft.
Officer Jones was on foot patrol in the Eglin Reservation WMA near the Okaloosa/Santa Rosa County line. He made contact with a hunter in a tree stand who was hunting with archery gear. Officer Jones also found feed distributed on the ground near the stand. There was no open hunting season on Eglin at that time. Officer Jones charged the hunter with hunting during closed season, hunting over bait and possession of marijuana. The hunter’s hunting equipment was seized as evidence. Eglin Range Patrol rescinded his Eglin privileges.
Multiple officers from Escambia and Santa Rosa County focused on the opening of the second phase of waterfowl season. Officers utilized Division aircraft and vessels to locate hunters. During the detail, multiple violations were addressed to include taking migratory birds with the use of an unplugged gun, no hunting license, no federal duck stamp and other permit violations.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
Ernest Ward Middle Holds Christmas Program (With Gallery)
December 19, 2015
Ernest Ward Middle School held a Christmas program Friday morning, complete with a sing-along, puppets and a variety of traditional Christmas carols.
For a photo gallery click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Obama Commutes Sentences For Two Local Drug Offenders
December 19, 2015
Two local area men were among 95 people whose prison sentences were commuted Friday by President Barack Obama.
The Pensacola man was William James Griffin, Jr. who was convicted in 1999 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was first sentenced to 252 months in prison, 10 years supervised release and a $1,000 fine. In 1989, his sentence was amended to 240 months imprisonment.
Obama commuted Griffin’s sentence.
Michael Reese Coffman of Milton was convicted in 2005 of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Obama commuted Coffman’s sentence.
Both men will be eligible for release on April 16.
Latest Jobs Numbers Show Unemployment Decrease
December 19, 2015
The latest job numbers released Friday show the unemployment level decreasing in the three county North Escambia area.
Escambia County’s unemployment rate fell slightly from 5.1 percent in October to 4.9 percent in November. There were 6,867 people reported unemployed during the period. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 5.9 percent.
Santa Rosa County unemployment decreased from 4.4 to 4.34 percent from October to November. Santa Rosa County had a total of 3,186 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 4.9 percent.
In Escambia County, Alabama, unemployment decreased from 6.5 percent in October to 6.4 percent in November. That represented 943 people unemployed in the county during the month. One year ago, the unemployment rate in Escambia County, Alabama, was 7.1 percent.
Florida’s unemployment rate fell to 5 percent in November from a revised 5.2 percent in October, according to figures released Friday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The November mark puts Florida even with the national unemployment rate for the first time since January. The state had been above the national rate since that time. Florida’s October’s figure was initially projected at 5.1 percent. In a news release, Gov. Rick Scott focused on the creation of 35,600 private-sector jobs across the state during November, nearly reaching the 36,600 private-sector jobs reportedly created in October, which was a 10-year high.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 6.0 percent in November, was up from October’s rate of 5.9 percent and was below the year-ago rate of 6.1 percent.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Bratt Elementary First Graders Hop On Polar Express, Visit With Santa
December 19, 2015
Mrs. Trice’s first grade class at Bratt Elementary School wrapper up their year with a visit from a Santa Claus and a trip aboard the Polar Express. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Salvation Army Thief Arrested
December 19, 2015
An Escambia County man who allegedly burglarized a Salvation Army thrift store earlier this week has been arrested.
David Lamar Jones, 32, no permanent address, was charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools, grand theft, and criminal mischief.
Officer Brandon Byrd was dispatched to the Salvation Army Family Store, 3870 North Davis Highway, just after 10 a.m. Monday to investigate a burglary.
Employees told Byrd the store had been burglarized some time between 5 p.m. December 12 and 10 a.m. Monday December 14 and that an undisclosed amount of cash had been stolen.
Jones, who was employed by the Salvation Army at the time of his arrest, was identified by employees through surveillance video.
Meanwhile, Detective Eric Hubley said an investigation continues into the theft of two Salvation Army donation kettles on December 12. In that incident, a man collected the two kettles from volunteers in front of Sam’s Club on Airport Boulevard. The suspect, who was wearing a red apron similar to one worn by Salvation Army volunteers, said he was early because the Army’s van had broken down.
Anyone having information on the incident is asked to contact the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433- STOP.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Hosts ‘Shop With A Cop’
December 19, 2015
Dozens of Escambia County children had the chance to “Shop With a Cop” Friday afternoon.
Each child received $125 to shop with a deputy from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. They were able to gift shop for family members and themselves.
The children were selected with the help of the Escambia County School District, and the shopping trips were make possible thanks to donors.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
