Eight Injured In Single Vehicle Santa Rosa County Wreck
July 12, 2015
Eight people were injured in a single vehicle crash Saturday afternoon in Santa Rosa County.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 45-year old Warren S. Floyd of Deridder, LA, was traveling south on Highway 87 near Farrington Road when he because unresponsive due to a medical seizure. His 2010 Nissan Armada and traveled onto the shoulder and into the tree line, striking a large pine tree before overturning.
Floyd and six passengers — Tina Floyd, 35; Caymerin Floyd, 14; Ashlin Wood, 15; Janet Wood, 40; Edward Floyd, 8; and Emma Floyd, 8, all of Deridder, LA — were transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital. Passenger Benjamin Floyd, 10 was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital.
Wahoos Win Fourth In A Row
July 12, 2015
Zack Weiss made sure he preserved the Pensacola Blue Wahoos one-run victory, 4-3, over the Montgomery Biscuits Saturday night.
Throwing his fastball in the mid-90s, Weiss earned his team leading ninth save in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038. It was the 18th sellout of the season and the 122 sold out game since the Blue Wahoos inaugural year in 2012.
Weiss entered the game in the eighth inning with runners on first and third and got a strikeout. On the very next play, right fielder Juan Duran stretched out and made a diving catch to rob Biscuits left fielder Tyler Goeddel of a hit.
Weiss said he likes the closer role that he’s assumed during the past four weeks. His fastball helped Pensacola win its fourth straight game and extended the Biscuits road losing streak to seven games.
“I enjoy pitching in the ninth inning,” he said. “That’s fun. Getting those last three outs and going to shake the catcher’s hand, give him a hug, that’s awesome. I really do enjoy that.”
Weiss now has 20 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched in his last 12 relief appearances.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said both Weiss and Duran saved the day for the Blue Wahoos.
“(Duran) saved the ball game with that catch,” Kelly said. “It was a tremendous play in the eighth inning.”
Kelly added that Weiss, who he first coached in Billings, also did well. “We put him in with the tying run on third in the eighth inning. Now he’s got to get five outs. That’s very special. There are not a lot of guys who can do that.”
Pensacola is now 9-7 and tied for first place in the Southern League Southern Division in the second half. They are 34-50 overall this season.
It’s the first time since 2012 that Pensacola has been in first place this late in a half. They were last in first place July 22, 2012. Montgomery fell to 8-7 in the second half and is 42-41 on the year.
Pensacola took the lead, 3-2, in the fifth inning when left fielder Jesse Winker grounded a single to right field to score catcher Yovan Gonzalez. Gonzalez tied the game, 2-2, when he singled to center to score second baseman Juan Perez, who doubled to lead off the inning.
The Blue Wahoos tacked on what ended up being the game-winning run in the seventh when shortstop Zach Vincej lined a single to center to score center fielder Beau Amaral to put Pensacola ahead, 4-2.
Montgomery cut the lead to 4-3 when first baseman Jake Bauers smacked a liner to the left-center gap to score right fielder Johnny Field Jr. in the eighth inning before Weiss came in and shut the Biscuits down.
Pensacola starter Wandy Peralta went six innings, which was his longest start since going 6.2 inning against the Mobile BayBears June 17. Peralta rebounded from two bad starts, leaving the game with a 3-2 lead. He scattered eight hits, walked two and struck out four Montgomery batters.
In his previous two starts, Peralta allowed 10 runs on 13 hits and two walks in 5.1 innings of work for a 16.88 ERA.
Winker went 1-4 with two RBIs Saturday. He’s now 3-10 with a home run, six RBIs, two runs scored and two walks. He has 5 HR 29 RBI and hitting .271 on year. Winker is hitting .363 (20-55) in 16 games in the second half. He has multi-hit games in eight of his last 18 starts.
Former NBA Coach To Lead Bratt Basketball Camp This Week
July 12, 2015
The First Baptist Church of Bratt will host a basketball camp this week with a former NBA, college and high school coach.
The camp for children ages 8-14 will be held July 13-17 from 9 a.m. until noon at the church. Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach will teach kids the fundamentals of basketball and Biblical awareness.
“We are fortunate to get someone of Coach Roger’s talents and achievements to head up this camp” said First Baptist Bratt Student Pastor Tim Hawsey. “He has a unique ability to deal with children, and his love for them is evident.” This is the fourth year the church has offered this camp.
Dutremble is a a retired coach and member of the International Basketball Hall of Fame. He career includes coaching at every level from high school to the NBA, and into international arenas, with a lifetime coaching record of 687-117 and seven national championships. He was selected “Coach of the Year” six times, and served as national team head coach to Belgium, Scotland, and Jordan. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, serving under Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, from 1979-83 and helping the team to three NBA championships with players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The cost is $45 per student with a limited number of scholarships available. The funds are used exclusively to purchase shoes and basketballs for needy children in other countries where Dutremble conducts camps.
Students can register Monday morning prior to the camp at the church on Highway 4 just west of Northview High School.
Pictured: Students that participated in a previous basketball camp at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. Inset: Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Two Injured In Highway 97 Rollover Crash
July 11, 2015
Two Monroeville, AL, residents were injured in a single vehicle rollover accident Saturday morning on Highway 97 near Walnut Hill.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 19-year old Cadauious Nyketih Kentrey Smith lost control of his 2010 Ford Fusion while northbound on Highway 97 near Highway 164 about 6:25 a.m.. The vehicle entered the ditch south of Highway 164, went airborne over Highway 164 after striking a culvert, and overturned multiple times. The vehicle came to rest in a ditch north of Highway 164.
Smith and his passenger, 16-year old Nichlos Gross, were transported to Atmore Community Hospital by ambulance. Their injuries were considered minor.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash.
Pictured: Two people were injured in this single vehicle rollover accident on Highway 97 near Walnut Hill Saturday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Local Brothers Face Lengthy Prison Sentences on Burglary, Theft Convictions
July 11, 2015
Two brothers, both former North Escambia residents, are facing prison after being convicted on multiple burglary and theft related charges in Santa Rosa County.
Shawn Demontre Cooler, 20, was convicted of burglary while armed with a firearm, two counts of grand theft of a firearm, grand theft and criminal mischief. His brother, Jeremiah Cooler, age 21 of Molino, was convicted of grand theft of a firearm and petit theft. Sentencing for both cases is set for July 21 in front of Circuit Judge John Simon. Shawn Cooler faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, while Jeremiah Cooler faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
On January 14, 2014, an eyewitness saw two subjects outside a home on the 7000 block of Gordon Evans Road in Navarre. Once Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, it was discovered that the front door was kicked in and two firearms, electronic items, and several pieces of jewelry were stolen. A sheriff’s deputy witnessed Shawn Cooler driving towards Pensacola after the burglary.
Deputies were unable to stop the defendant because the car engaged in a high-speed pursuit. The car and the subjects were found at the Red Roof Inn on Davis Highway by Escambia County deputies the next day. Jeremiah Cooler was apprehended after throwing a backpack with items stolen from the burglary in a dumpster. Shawn Cooler fled on foot after being approached by deputies.
The brothers were previously convicted on April 14, 2015, by a Santa Rosa County Jury on several other charges. Shawn Cooler was convicted of grand theft, and Jeremiah Cooler was convicted of three counts of grand theft of a firearm. The two defendants were found guilty after being found in possession of three stolen firearms and electronics that were taken from a residence located on the 4400 block of Leavins Street in Milton on January 14, 2014.
At the time of the offenses, Shawn Cooler was on probation for burglary, grand theft and criminal mischief. Those charges stemmed from an incident on June 13, 2012, when an Escambia County home was burglarized after the back door was kicked in. A handgun, jewelry and a television were taken in that burglary. On June 18, 2014, Shawn Cooler was found guilty of violating that probation and sentenced to 30 months in state prison prison.
DCF Offers Summer Water Safety Tips
July 11, 2015
The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is reminding parents to take extra precautions to keep their children safe.
“We can’t forget the importance of safety when it comes to our youngest family members,” DCF Deputy Secretary David Fairbanks said. “Drowning remains a leading cause of death for children in our communities. You can never be too careful around water.”
In Florida, 41 children have died so far this year from drowning. Of those who have tragically passed away, 68 percent were under the age of three. These deaths are 100 percent preventable. There should always be a responsible adult present when a child is engaging in water activities.
DCF urges parents and caregivers to keep “Eyes on the Kids” at all times when children have access to water. Lengthy conversations, texting and phone calls create distractions that should be avoided while children are swimming or near water. A responsible adult should be designated as a “Water Watcher” at all times.
Often times a child slips away undetected in family pool when several adults are present. Supervision, pool barriers and emergency preparedness, such as learning CPR, are crucially important.
Elderly Man Dies After Crashing Into House
July 11, 2015
An elderly Escambia County man died Friday evening when he accidentally drove into a house.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 84-year Howland Clark Quinby was parked in a driveway on Sawmill Run, just off Davis Highway, where he picked up his passenger. Quinby then suddenly accelerated forward, crossed the road and struck the front of a house on Waterwheel Turn with his 2006 Toyota Solaris.. Quinby was transported to nearby West Florida Hospital here he later passed away.
The passenger, 69-year old Martha Morris Quinby, was transported to West Florida Hospital with minor injuries.
Oh How We Love Our Blue Angels
July 11, 2015
The Blue Angels took to the skies over Pensacola Beach Friday, along with other military and civilian acts, in air show dress rehearsal for Saturday. The official 2015 Blue Angels Pensacola Beach Air Show begins at noon Saturday, with the Blues taking to the skies at 2 p.m.
Have Blue Angels pictures to share? Email news@northescambia.com, visit us at Facebook.com/NorthEscambia, or follow @northescambia on Twitter.
Pictured top: Cousins wave to Fat Albert Friday (Leigh Ann Beck photo). Inset: Kaylie McCall enjoys the Blues Friday afternoon (Kirsten McCall photo). Below: A Blue Angels selfie (#BlueAngels). Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Spicing Up The Summer
July 11, 2015
Things were just starting to slow down in Tallahassee, returning to the summertime rhythm devoid of crowds of college students and the activities of the Legislature.
But now, lawmakers might be coming back.
The Florida Supreme Court issued a redistricting ruling Thursday that appears bound to spark another special session, which would mark the third time legislators have met this year. Throw in a court challenge to Senate maps that will begin in late September, and you have the recipe for several more months of talking about a process that was supposed to be done three years ago.
The court was busy Thursday, also issuing decisions on the state’s controversial “stand your ground” self-defense law and how to pay for the state’s legal aid programs. Around the same time, Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson was officially announcing what most already assumed: He’s running for the U.S. Senate seat up for grabs in next year’s elections.
A busy news day to cap off a slow week. There might still be a few more of the latter in the near future, but it looks like there will be plenty of the former as well.
END OF THE LINES
Even before lawmakers wrapped up their June special session to finish crafting the state budget, there was already speculation that a Supreme Court ruling on the state’s congressional lines could upset any plans to wait until January to hold the next session.
Then, it happened. A bitterly divided Florida Supreme Court threw out eight congressional districts under the state’s anti-gerrymandering Fair Districts Amendment, then ordered the Legislature to redraw the lines within the next 100 days.
For those who have watched the court on redistricting — or anything else, really — the 5-2 decision was not much of a surprise. It featured the five more-liberal justices in the majority and a pair of conservative justices in the minority. Justice Barbara Pariente, who has crafted most of the court’s decisions on redistricting since voters put Fair Districts into the Florida Constitution in 2010, wrote the opinion.
What was a little more surprising were the sharp attacks that the two sides of the court hurled at each other, perhaps a sign that years of ruling on the redistricting standards was starting to take a toll.
Justice Charles Canady used his dissent to blast the majority for no less than doing violence to the state’s form of government.
“This decision causes serious damage to our constitutional structure,” Canady, a former lawmaker, wrote in an opinion joined by Justice Ricky Polston. “The proper functioning of the judicial process is deformed and the separation of powers is breached in an unprecedented manner. Since 2012, this court’s decisions concerning the redistricting process have been characterized by a repeated rewriting of the rules.”
Pariente was having none of it. She called Canady’s criticisms “extravagant” and suggested he wanted the court to abdicate its responsibility to make sure that lawmakers follow the law.
“Far from upending the law, then, our legal analysis today adheres to our recent redistricting precedents,” she wrote. “The dissent, to the contrary, continues its refusal to acknowledge the import of the Fair Districts Amendment.”
As for the actual fallout, the court has now issued orders that will require a delicate balancing act by map-drawers. One of the districts thrown out is represented by Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown. Brown’s district ambles its way from Jacksonville to Orlando to create an opportunity for black voters to elect a candidate of their choice.
The Supreme Court told lawmakers to draw the district’s lines from east to west — likely from the Jacksonville area to Tallahassee. But the Legislature will also have to avoid violating the Voting Rights Act when it crafts the new lines.
Justices also ordered up new versions of districts 13 and 14 “to avoid crossing Tampa Bay” and an overhaul of vast swaths of South Florida — always one of the more difficult and racially charged areas of the state when it comes to redistricting.
And the redrawing might not stop there. A trial on state Senate districts that lawmakers drew in 2012 is set to be heard by Circuit Judge George Reynolds beginning Sept. 25.
PROVE YOUR GROUND
The same 5-2 majority in the redistricting case also ruled that people who use Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” legal defense have the burden of proving they should be shielded from prosecution
In “stand your ground” cases, which come under a law that in part provides immunity to people who use justifiable force in self-defense, pre-trial evidentiary hearings are held to determine whether defendants qualify for the immunity. The Supreme Court ruling Thursday centered on who should have the burden of proof during those hearings — defendants or prosecutors.
Justices sided with lower courts that have required defendants to prove that they should be protected from prosecution by the self-defense law. The majority opinion, written by Pariente, said immunity in the “stand your ground” law “is not a blanket immunity, but rather, requires the establishment that the use of force was legally justified.”
“We conclude that placing the burden of proof on the defendant to establish entitlement to Stand Your Ground immunity by a preponderance of the evidence at the pretrial evidentiary hearing, rather than on the state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant’s use of force was not justified, is consistent with this court’s precedent and gives effect to the legislative intent,” said the majority opinion, which was joined by Chief Justice Jorge Labarga and justices Peggy Quince and James E.C. Perry. Justice R. Fred Lewis concurred in the outcome, though he did not sign on to the majority opinion.
Canady was once again in dissent, writing that the majority ruling “substantially curtails the benefit of the immunity from trial conferred by the Legislature under the Stand Your Ground law.”
“The factual question raised by the assertion of Stand Your Ground immunity in a pretrial evidentiary hearing is the same as the factual question raised by a Stand Your Ground defense presented at trial: whether the evidence establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant’s conduct was not justified under the governing statutory standard,” Canady wrote.
A 4-3 majority of the court, meanwhile, rejected a proposal that could have led to attorneys paying higher Florida Bar membership fees to help cover the costs of legal services for the poor.
The measure would have allowed the Bar to increase dues by as much as $100 a year, with the increased money going to legal-aid programs. The Bar opposed the proposal, which was spearheaded by former Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero and backed by more than 500 lawyers.
The court’s majority wrote that “there is an urgent need to develop new solutions and sustainable sources of funding for legal aid” but said a more-comprehensive approach is needed than the possible increase in Bar dues.
SHADES OF GRAYSON
In one of the least-shocking stories of the week, Grayson announced Thursday that he would run for the Democratic nomination to succeed U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is running for president. Grayson wasted little time targeting his primary opponent, Congressman Patrick Murphy, who has the backing of much of the party’s establishment.
“He’s a Republican,” Grayson told Orlando television station WESH. “He’s really a Republican pretending to be a Democrat.”
But party leaders clearly see Murphy as a better general-election candidate than Grayson. Murphy knocked off high-profile Republican Congressman Allen West in 2012 and cruised to re-election last year in a swing district that includes St. Lucie and Martin counties and part of Palm Beach County.
In response to Grayson’s candidacy, Murphy released a statement Thursday touching on his support for issues that are important with Democratic primary voters.
“I look forward to a clean, honest discussion of the issues in this primary,” Murphy said. “I have built a strong record of working together to get things done, while remaining true to core Democratic principles like protecting Social Security and Medicare, fighting for a woman’s right to choose, and strengthening the middle class.”
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Florida Supreme Court struck down the state’s congressional boundaries, setting the stage for a politically charged fight over new lines.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “We seem to attract our fair share of crazies in the Sunshine State, and we want to protect our citizens. That’s why we’re the only state in America that has a 50-year mandatory prison sentence for anyone who rapes a child under the age of 12.”— Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, during a call to the morning show on SiriusXM Radio channel POTUS.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Winker Grand Slam Seals Wahoos Win
July 11, 2015
Left fielder Jesse Winker hit the Pensacola Blue Wahoos first grand slam of the season when he took Montgomery Biscuits starter Jaime Schultz’s fastball deep to left field with one out.
His fifth homer of the year capped a five-run fifth inning that also included catcher Kyle Skipworth’s solo shot to right field into the Hill-Kelly Hill area to lead off the inning.
Pensacola went on to win its third straight game and hand Montgomery its sixth straight road loss, 6-3, Friday in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The Blue Wahoos improved to 8-7 (33-50) and remained in a four-way tie for first place in the second half of the Southern League South Division season. The Biscuits dropped to 8-6 (42-40) on the year.
Winker, the Cincinnati Reds No. 3 prospect according to Baseball America, hit his last grand slam two years ago to the day with the Low-A Dayton Dragons.
The newly bearded Winker is hitting .373 (19-51) in 15 games in the second half with a .492 on-base percentage. And Winker has multi-hit games in eight of his last 17 starts.
Winker said he was waiting for Schultz to bring his 90-95 mph heater over the plate, after watching him walk shortstop Zach Vincej.
“I wanted to elevate a fastball,” Winker said. “I didn’t want to get cheated there. I got it up and over the wall. It was really cool.”
Seth Mejias-Brean added a solo blast in the sixth inning over the left field wall just inside the foul pole. It was his fourth homer of the year and gave him a team-leading 32 RBIs on the season.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly was most impressed with Skipworth’s homer of the three Friday.
“The one that was impressive was Skipworth’s,” Kelly said. “That ball had an over spin, which is basically impossible to do.”
Meanwhile, Barrett Astin earned his first victory in Double-A after two no-decision games since being called up June 25 to Pensacola. The 23-year-old is now 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA, allowing 13 hits, 10 walks and striking out 16 batters in 18.1 innings.
Kelly said Astin has looked good in his three starts.
“That’s what you want is a starter who can give you six innings and then turn it over to the bullpen with a lead,” he said. “Barrett’s done that all three times he’s been out there.”
One other impressive play came defensively from Juan Duran in right field that saved a run. The 6-foot-7 prospect charged a soft liner by Montgomery shortstop Leonardo Reginatto and threw a perfect strike to Skipworth to nail third baseman Patrick Leonard at the plate for the second out of the seventh inning.
Kelly said he coached Duran when he was a 16-year-old “baby giraffe.”
“He could barely stand up,” Kelly joked. “But every year he gets better. He’s got a more controlled swing at the plate and a better throwing arm than you think.”
By the way, Winker said his mom is getting used to his new beard.
Photo courtesy Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.