Molino Man Charged With Aggravated Battery Following Traffic Crash
July 21, 2015
A Molino man has been charged after an altercation that broke out following a traffic crash back in May.
Jonathan David Franklin, 22, was arrested this week on an outstanding warrant stemming from the May 24 accident at Cedartown Road and Highway 95A. He was charged with aggravated battery using a deadly weapon and booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $15,000.
Franklin allegedly left the scene of the traffic crash, stopping to pick up his bumper. The traffic crash victim gave chase on foot, with Franklin stopping and getting out of his vehicle, according to an arrest report. The victim said Franklin the attacked him, pulling his shirt over his face and hitting him repeatedly with a black object, later determined to be the black rubber handle of a large knife.
Sheriff’s Office To Host ‘Bridging The Gap’ Conference
July 21, 2015
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will host a crime prevention conference “Bridging the Gap” July 27-29.
The three-evening conference is an effort to encourage communication and action within the community by showcasing innovative crime prevention ideas and successful strategies. A major component of the program will be directed toward
alternatives to violence among young people, the agency said.
The event will be held at the Brownsville Community Center at 3100 West Desoto Street in Pensacola. Each evening’s agency will begin with a light dinner at 5:00, followed by speakers and discussion from 6-9 p.m.
Admission is free, but seating is limited. Registration form are available by clicking here. For more information contact Sgt. Delarian Wiggins at dcwiggins@escambiaso.com or (850) 436-9705.
Jolly Announces For U.S. Senate
July 21, 2015
Joining three other Florida congressmen in seeking to move to the U.S. Senate, Pinellas County Republican David Jolly said Monday he will run in 2016 for the seat being vacated by presidential candidate Marco Rubio.
Jolly, who was elected to Congress last year in a high-profile battle with Democrat Alex Sink, offered a conservative message in announcing his Senate bid, saying the “time to reclaim America begins right here, right now.”
“Over the next year, I intend to run for the United States Senate on an unwavering platform that will reject the politics of division and class warfare that have defined the current administration, reject the failed foreign policies that have projected only weakness and apology on the world stage, and embrace a new economy founded on the principle that individuals and families, not government bureaucrats, create success,” Jolly, 42, of Indian Shores, said in a prepared statement.
Jolly entered an increasingly crowded field that also includes Republican Congressman Ron DeSantis and Democratic Congressmen Alan Grayson and Patrick Murphy. Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and Orlando businessman Todd Wilcox also are seeking the GOP nomination, while Northwest Florida Republican Congressman Jeff Miller is reportedly considering a run.
Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant quickly issued a statement Monday blasting the four announced GOP candidates, including Jolly, who worked as a lobbyist before getting elected to Congress.
“Koch-backed Tea Partiers, a no-show lieutenant governor with more baggage than Rick Scott’s private jet can carry, and now a Washington lobbyist,” she said in the statement. “Could Florida Republicans have assembled a primary field more out of touch with middle class voters than these four?”
Early polls, however, point to a wide-open race, with voters knowing relatively little about the candidates. Jolly, a Dunedin native, has longstanding ties in the politically important Tampa Bay area and served as an aide to the late Congressman C.W. Bill Young. He planned to hold a campaign-launch rally Monday night at the Republican Club of Greater Largo.
Jolly defeated Sink, a former state chief financial officer, in a March 2014 special election after the death of Young, who served in Congress for four decades. Jolly easily won re-election to a full term in November.
The decision to enter the Senate race came as Jolly’s congressional district is poised to be redrawn because of a Florida Supreme Court ruling this month. That ruling ordered state lawmakers to redraw eight districts, which the Supreme Court found violated a 2010 constitutional amendment aimed at ending gerrymandering.
Jolly’s redrawn district is expected to get an influx of Democratic voters, making it harder for Republicans to hold onto the seat. Former Gov. Charlie Crist, a Democrat, has been widely mentioned as a possible candidate in the redrawn district.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Woman Dies In 1-10 Crash
July 21, 2015
A Milton woman died in a single vehicle accident Monday afternoon in Santa Rosa County.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 71-year old Mary A. Spencer was westbound on I-10 near Highway 87 about 12:55 P.m. when she lost control of her 2003 Ford SUV and struck a tree. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Spencer was wearing her seat belt, according to the FHP.
Smith Hits Back To Back Homers In Wahoos Win
July 21, 2015
Pensacola Blue Wahoos first baseman Marquez Smith showed off the power that he has displayed throughout his nine seasons in the minor leagues.
The 30-year-old lined a two-run home run to left center in the first inning and then crushed a solo shot to left field in the second inning. Smith became the first Pensacola player to hit back-to-back home runs this season.
P
ensacola downed Jacksonville, 7-4, Monday in front of 3,973 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium and now leads the Florida rivals’ race for the Golden Skillet, 8-6. The Blue Wahoos, who have one more five-game series left with the Suns, have never won the trophy since its inaugural season in 2012.
Smith has averaged just over 15 homers a season and last year smacked 30 mostly for the High-A Bakersfield Blaze. Besides his two home runs, he had a double and four RBIs. Smith now has seven homers and 33 RBIs and improved his batting average to .278 this season for Double-A Pensacola.
“It was a big one,” Smith said about his night. “A pretty huge one for sure.”
Smith said he cranked a slider and fastball out of the park. His play in the Mexican League earned him 300 more at bats during the winter. He said everyone on the team is stepping up their play in the second half.
“You go up every at bat just trying to battle,” he said. “I was just trying to move the runners over. I was able to get it in the air and drive it out.”
In the first inning, Smith lined a two-run home run to left center that also brought in left fielder Jesse Winker, who had hit a stand up double, to put Pensacola ahead, 3-0. In his next at bat, he crushed a solo shot to left field that put the Blue Wahoos up, 5-0, after two innings. Then, in the sixth inning, Smith doubled to score center fielder Bryson Smith for a 7-2 lead.
Smith became the eighth Pensacola player to clobber two homers in a game. Former outfielder Kyle Waldrop was the last to do it against Jacksonville on Aug. 19, 2014. No Blue Wahoos player has hit three homers in one game.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said Smith is now hitting like he did in Bakersfield, where he coached him last year.
“This is how he was swinging the bat last year,” Kelly said. “You’re starting to see it in this second half. I think he’s hitting extremely well.”
The fifth inning was the Seth Mejias-Brean inning. After making a diving grab at third of Jacksonville left fielder Eudy Pina’s sharp grounder and barely getting him out at first, Mejias-Brean came to the plate and crushed a solo homer to left field, which was his fifth of the year, and put Pensacola ahead, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Pensacola starter Josh Smith rebounded from his loss to Birmingham Barons who scored six runs before chasing him after 3.2 innings. It wasn’t pretty but Smith lasted 5.1 innings and gave up just two runs to Jacksonville and struck out eight. However, he also gave up 10 hits and two walks to the Suns. He improved to 5-2 on the season with a 3.00 ERA.
Four times Jacksonville loaded the bases and four times Pensacola thwarted the Suns from scoring.
Smith had given up two singles and a walk after getting the first two batters out in the fifth inning and got out of the bases-loaded jam.
Blue Wahoos reliever Patrick Schuster came in for Smith, who loaded the bases on three singles, and got a strike out and ground out to shortstop to end the sixth inning with no runs.
Then, Jacksonville loaded the bases in the eighth inning but Blue Wahoos reliever Miguel Celestino struck out the Suns’ cleanup hitter Matt Juengel on a 94 mph fastball.
Finally, Zack Weiss struck out two batters and got a ground out to escape with the bases loaded in the ninth inning without a score. Weiss now has a team-leading 11 saves.
“You can’t give them that many opportunities,” Kelly said. “Eventually, it comes back and bites you.”
The final game of the two-game series is scheduled at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday with the Miami Marlins Double-A affiliate Jacksonville Suns
Scott Orders Flags To Half-Staff In Honor Of Chattanooga Service Members
July 20, 2015
Monday, Gov. Rick Scott Monday directed the flags of the United States and the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff in honor of the five service members who were murdered at recruiting centers in Chattanooga, TN, last week. The flags are to remain at half-staff until sunset on the day of the final military member’s date of internment.
Pictured: The flag at half-staff Monday afternoon at the West Florida Library Main Branch in downtown Pensacola. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two-Year Bitten By Dog, Seriously Injured
July 20, 2015
A two-year girl is recovering after a serious dog bite Sunday evening in Cantonment.
The young girl was reportedly bitten in the chest area by a dog about 7:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of Muscogee Road. She was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital as a “trauma alert”. An update on her condition was not available Monday.
A county official said the dog was killed by its owner. The dog was identified as a lab-blue heeler mix.
Further details have not been released.
One Shot During Confrontation With Hunters
July 20, 2015
One person was shot after getting into an argument with hunters northeast of Munson Saturday night.
According to witness accounts, there were several individuals deer hunting the area of Green Road and Yearling Lane. A confrontation began between the group of hunters and and another individual, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office said.
At one point during the confrontation, a gun was pointed at the group of hunters when a shot was heard. The individual who was pointing the gun at the group was shot with a high powered rifle during the incident, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office said. The victim was airlifted to an area hospital.
The victim remained in the hospital late Sunday recovering from a gunshot wound; their exact condition was not available.
Detectives with the Santa Rosa County Sheriffs are actively working this investigation. The individual who shot the victim was identified and is being questioned about the incident.
More information has not been released.
Motorcyclist Killed In Santa Rosa Crash
July 20, 2015
A Laurel Hill man was killed in a single motorcycle accident Saturday morning in Santa Rosa County.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 67-year old Michaelis L. Johnson was westbound on Red Rock Road whe he failed to negotiate a curve on his 1999 Harley Davidson, traveled onto the shoulder and then struck an embankment. Johnson, who was ejected from the motorcycle, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Johnson was wearing his helmet at the time of the crash.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
K-9 Officer ‘Mink’ Retires
July 20, 2015
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Mink retired from service last week. The German Shepherd and his handler, Deputy 1st Class Michael Milstead have been responsible for many suspect and narcotics finds throughout the last five years, according to the ECSO. Mink will spend his retirement with Milstead and his family. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.