Atmore Man Killed In Single Vehicle Crash
March 2, 2016
An Atmore man was killed in a single vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon.
David Lee Hudson, 41, lost control of his 1987 Ford Mustang and struck a utility pole on Pouncey Road about 2 p.m. according to Alabama State troopers. Hudson was transported to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries
Further details have not been released by troopers as they continue their investigation.
State Objects To Life Sentence In Key Escambia Dealth Penalty Case
March 2, 2016
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office is disputing arguments that a death row inmate from Escambia County should receive life in prison after successfully challenging Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Bondi’s office filed a document Monday in the Florida Supreme Court arguing that what is known a “harmless error analysis” should be conducted in the case of Timothy Lee Hurst. An attorney for Hurst filed a motion last month asking the state Supreme Court to send the case to a lower court for imposition of a life sentence.
A challenge by Hurst led the U.S. Supreme Court in January to issue an 8-1 ruling that found Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system unconstitutional. The ruling said juries — not judges— should be responsible for imposing the death penalty and that Florida’s system of giving power to judges violated Hurst’s Sixth Amendment right to a trial by jury. Lawmakers are moving forward with plans to change the sentencing system to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
In the document filed Monday, Bondi’s office said the U.S. Supreme Court required a “harmless error analysis” in the Hurst case. Broadly, such analyses determine whether errors are serious enough to require overturning earlier court decisions — in Hurst’s case, the decision to sentence him to death.
“If the United States Supreme Court felt it appropriate to commute appellant’s (Hurst’s) sentence to life imprisonment, it could have done so,” the document filed by Bondi’s office said. “Instead, the High Court specifically remanded this case to this (Florida Supreme) Court with directions to conduct a harmless error analysis.”
Hurst was sentenced to death for the 1998 killing of fast-food worker Cynthia Harrison. Harrison, an assistant manager at a Popeye’s Fried Chicken restaurant on Nine Mile Road where Hurst worked, was bound, gagged and stabbed more than 60 times. Her body was found in a freezer.
The motion filed last month by Hurst’s attorney did not take issue with his guilt. But it said Hurst should be sentenced to life in prison because he has “fundamentally been denied his Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial” in sentencing.
Roundup: Northview, Tate, Jay, West Florida
March 2, 2016
BASEBALL
West Florida 3, Tate 2
The West Florida Jaguars topped the Tate Aggies Tuesday night 3-2 at West Florida. The Jags were led by Kris Reber hitting a triple and driving in three runs.
Tate hitters: Cole Halfacre 1-3, 2B; Logan Blackmon 1-3, 2B; Logan McGuffy 1-3, 2B; Jake Davis 1-3; Reid Halfacre 1-4; Branden Fryman 1-3.
West Florida hitters: Adam Ostergaard 2-3, Kris Reber 2-3, 3B, 3 RBIs.
Tate will play at Pine Forest at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Northview 9, Pensacola Christian 2 (JV)
The Northview JV baseball team defeated Pensacola Christian Tuesday night by a score of 9-2.
Leading hitters for the Chiefs were Seth Killam (2-3, 2B, 2 runs), Trevor Singleton (2-2, run), John Chivington (1-1, 2 runs), Jackson Moore (1-2, 2B), and Andrew Sharpless (1-2, run). Also scoring runs for the Chiefs were Cade Allen, Heath Sheldt and Wesley Hardin.
Cade Allen earned the win on the mound, throwing four innings while striking out three batters. Trevor Singleton threw two innings, striking out four batters.
The Chiefs improved to 5-1 on the season. Both the JV and varsity play at home this Friday against Pensacola Christian.
SOFTBALL
Freeport 7, Northview 3
Freeport defeated the Northview Chiefs 7-3 Tuesday night in Freeport.
Tori Herrington pitched seven innings with nine strikeouts, nine hits, seven runs, two earned runs and two walks.
Aubree Love 2-4 with 2 RBI’s, Kendall Enfinger 2-4 with an RBI and a run, Hannah Ging 1-4, Tori Herrington 1-3 with a run, Daphne Young 1-3 with a run and Jamia Newton 1-3.
The Chiefs will travel to Brewton this Friday and Saturday for the TR Miller Invitational. Friday they will play Davidson at 5:15 and Blackshear at 7:45. Saturday they play Miller at 9:00. Single elimination bracket play will start at noon with the championship game scheduled at 4 p.m.
Tate 6, Pace 1
The varsity Tate Aggies defeated Pace 6-1 Tuesday night.
Jay 12, South Walton 6
The Jay Royals beat South Walton 12-6 on the road Tuesday night.
Destiny Herring picked up the win, striking out five in six innings. Jay hitters: Mikaela Stewart 3-5, 2 runs, double; Harley Taggert 3-4, 3 runs, double, RBI; Destiny Herring 3-5, 3 RBIs; Samantha Steadham 3-5, 3 RBIs; Alyssa Baxley 2-4, RBI.
Jay will host Freeport Thursday at 6 p.m.
Pictrured: Northview’s varsity beat Pensacola Christian Tuesday. NorthEscambia.com photos by Ramona Preston, click to enlarge.
New Open Container Alcohol Regulations On Pensacola Beach
March 2, 2016
There’s a new alcohol ordinance in effect at Pensacola Beach.
The ordinance restricts open containers in public areas of the commercial district of Pensacola Beach. It is illegal to consume or possess any alcoholic beverages in an open container in the public areas within the commercial district like sidewalks, boardwalks, roads and parking lots. It is permissible to have an open container on the sandy portions of the beach, except the “family area” of Casino Beach just west of the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier.
The commercial district of Pensacola Beach is generally considered the area from the Bob Sikes Bridge south to the Casino Beach Bandstand, and from the first residence on the west to Avendia 10 on the east. Signs have been placed in the commercial district and beach goers are encouraged to ask lifeguards and law enforcement questions about the new policy. A special permitting process is available through the SRIA for events seeking an exemption to the open container restrictions.
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners adopted the ordinance back in December with an effective date of March 1.
Firefighters Respond To Reported Fire At Grain Elevator In Walnut Hill
March 1, 2016
Firefighters from across the area were dispatched to a reported fire at Escambia Grain Tuesday afternoon. When the first firefighters arrived on scene at the grain elevator on Arthur Brown Road in Walnut Hill, they found a ceiling or attic fire in the front of an office building had already been extinguished by the business. There was no major damage and no injuries reported. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Airlifted After ATV Crash Near Century
March 1, 2016
Two people were injured in an off-road ATV accident late Tuesday morning outside Century.
The two males were both airlifted in two different medical helicopters to area hospitals. One of them, a 27-year old male, was a “trauma alert”, according to EMS. The two were reported thrown from their 4-wheeler in or near field in the area of the 3200 block of Highway 4A.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details, including the names of the victims, have not yet been released.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Molino Mom Enters Plea, Faces Up To 15 Years For Husband’s Murder
March 1, 2016
A Molino mom that once claimed a “stand your ground” defense in the murder of her husband is now facing up to 15 years in state prison.
Rebecca A. Rogers, 45, has pleaded no contest to manslaughter for shooting her husband, 42-year old Jason Lee Rogers in August 2013. According to the State Attorney’s office, sentencing guidelines call for her to receive a sentence of just over nine years when she is sentenced in late April.
Her attorneys previously made a motion to dismiss the case, saying Rogers acted within the parameters of Florida’s self-defense “stand your ground” law. That motion was denied at the local level and by the Florida First District Court of Appeals.
The ruling from the appeals court last June did nott allow her to claim she acted under the “stand you ground” law, but it specifically did not prohibit Rogers from claiming self-defense at trial.
Rebecca Rogers shot her husband twice in the back and once in the head inside the couple’s home in the 3400 block of Highway 29 in Molino. She told a 911 dispatcher that her husband choked her and then she shot him.
Deputies arrived to find Rebecca Rogers standing outside the home. They found Jason Rogers lying unconscious in the back bedroom of the home on his stomach with what appeared to be a gunshot to his head. According to official reports, he also suffered two other gunshot wounds to the back. He died at a local hospital about two days later.
The couple had four daughters, one of which testified at a preliminary hearing that her father had several guns in the home. “As far as I know, he was going to get them and he was…my mom believed he was going to kill her. So, she was protecting herself,” she said.
Rogers remains free on a $300,000 bond as she awaits sentencing.
Free Baby Food, Cereal, Diapers And Wipes At Century Health Start
March 1, 2016
The Escambia County Healthy Start Coalition is grateful for the generous outpouring from community partners who have answered the need for mothers and babies in Century following the devastating February 15 tornado.
Manna Food pantries donated baby food and cereal, and Goodwill and Abundant Life Outreach donated diapers and wipes. Families in need may stop by the Healthy Start office at 511 Church Street, Monday -Thursday between 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on a first come first serve basis while supplies last to receive the items.
WIC service will be at the Century Healthy Start Office on Tuesday, March 8. For more information, call (850) 619-1469.
Pictured: Escambia County Healthy Start Coalition Executive Director Theresa Chmiel (left) and Century Office Manager Laura Nelson. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Tax Collector Office Reopens After Communications Failure
March 1, 2016
The Escambia County Tax Collector Office in Molino was shut down Monday afternoon after the building lost communications services. It reopened early Tuesday afternoon.
A drop box remained available for payments, but the office was unable to process any transactions Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
All other tax collector offices remained open with business as usual.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Appeals Court Rules In Cantonment Insurance Agent’s Racketeering, Money Laundering Case
March 1, 2016
A Cantonment insurance sentenced to eight years in prison for racketeering and money laundering may be set free from jail as he appeals, following a ruling released Monday by the Florida First District Court of Appeal.
Circuit Judge Ross Goodman found Randall Petersen guilty of conducting a fraudulent insurance scheme that involved the theft of several hundred thousand dollars of commissions and bonuses from American National Insurance Company and Liberty National Insurance Company.
Petersen filed an appeal and a motion for post-trial release, which would have allowed him to stay out of jail awaiting the outcome of the appeal. Judge Goodman denied the motion for post-trial release. The appellate court reversed and remanded the post-trial release motion back to Goodman for reconsideration. He can grant the post-trial release, or again deny with specific reasoning. The decision by the appeals court has no impact on Petersen’s conviction appeal.
In the scheme in which Petersen was convicted. he advertised job opportunities on the internet for College Consultants of the Gulf Coast, and induced hundreds of applicants to provide information for life insurance that he and his associates described as free job benefits.
The prosecutor, Assistant State Attorney Russ Edgar, showed that College Consultants was not a real company and Petersen merely used the information from the job applicants to complete life insurance applications that he submitted to the insurance companies. The companies paid Petersen advance commissions, which were as much as 130% of the first year premiums, and bonuses.
Before the companies realized the insureds were not employees, Petersen had obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars of commissions and bonuses and let the policies lapse for nonpayment.
Petersen was sentenced to eight years in prison followed by seven years probation.