Failed Attempt To Pass Ends With Serious Injuries In Quintette Road Crash
January 8, 2026
Two people were seriously injured when a driver attempted to pass on Quintette Road Thursday afternoon and instead crashed over a guardrail.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 50-year-old Pensacola man attempted to pass another vehicle in his pickup truck and ran off Quintette Road near Rocky Branch Road. The vehicle then traveled over a guardrail and struck two trees.
The driver and his passenger, a 51-year-old female also from Pensacola, were extricated by Escambia County Fire Rescue and transported in serious condition to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS.
The FHP investigation is continuing.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man In Custody After Standoff With Escambia County Deputies
January 8, 2026
A suspect was taken into custody Thursday afternoon following a standoff at a home just north of Nine Mile Road.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a criminal mischief complaint in the area of Le Ruth Drive, about two blocks north of Nine Mile Road near Copter Road, for a man that was reportedly hitting stop signs with a baseball bat.
When deputies arrived, he made threats, locked himself in a house, and refused to come out, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies said he then started shooting fireworks out of the home’s windows.
After SWAT arrived on the scene, the man was taken into custody. His name has not been released.
Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Millions In Projects, Mostly Grant Funded, Underway In Century
January 8, 2026
Million of dollars of projects are underway in Century.
The town’s consulting engineer, Dale Long, recently present an update to the town council on the projects, including funding status. Major projects include
- wastewater improvements including wastewater treatment plant — $8.86 million (90% grant, 10% loan)
- water meter and service replacements — $1.3 million (100% grant)
- Freedom Road Bridge replacement — $1.3 million (100% grant)
- wastewater lift station rehabilitation — $3.36 million (90% grant, 10% loan)
- wastewater treatment plant improvements — $5.36 million (90% grant, 10% loan)
- water well replacement == $1.85 million
For a complete status report (pdf format), click here.
Pictured: Work on the Century lift station on West Highway 4 recently. NorthEscambai.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Cold Case: Murder 45 Years Ago Remains Unsolved
January 8, 2026
It was45 years ago on the afternoon of January 2, 1981, that 9-year-old Kenneth Deshun Underwood and three companions went bird hunting in the woods near their Cantonment home. Everyone returned home that afternoon except for Underwood.
When Underwood was still not home around 6 p.m., Escambia County Search and Rescue personnel were called. The area where Underwood was last seen alive was canvassed. His body was discovered about 5:45 the next morning –apparently murdered — in an area near Booker Street. His cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma.
The case remains unsolved, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help because they believe someone in our area still has information about Underwood’s death.
If you know anything about the death of Kenneth Deshun Underwood, 9, you are asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stopper at (850) 433-STOP (7867).
Pictured above: The fourth-grade photo of murder victim Kenneth Deshun Underwood of Cantonment. Pictured below: The highlighted area in this map shows where the body was found. Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Longtime Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers Is Retiring
January 8, 2026
Longtime Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers is retiring.
Rogers, who served Escambia County as an assistant county attorney from 1999 to 2003, was named deputy county attorney in 2003 before being named county attorney in February 2008.
Rogers submitted a one-year retirement notification on Tuesday. Her final day will be January 4, 2027.
“I am available throughout 2026 to assist with the transition as needed,” she wrote in a letter to the Escambia County Commission.
The commission is expected to discuss her retirement at a regular meeting on Thursday.
Byrneville Elementary Names Students Of The Month
January 8, 2026
Byrneville Elementary School recently named its Students of the Month for December.
They are:
- Kindergarten: Jon Wagner and Amelia Thomas
- 1st Grade: Sydney Lashley and Price Miller
- 2nd Grade: Braelyn Smith and Hudson Edwards
- 3rd Grade: Carter Potts and Liam Steadham
- 4th Grade: Cambree Flowers and Suzi Pope
- 5th Grade: Conner Fowler and Veronica Walker
- Art: Nevaeh Comalander
- PE: Timothy Dees
- Music: Jonah Levins
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Police To Host Elder Abuse Awareness Program
January 8, 2026
The Flomaton Police Department will be presenting an Elder Abuse Awareness program at the Flomaton SAIL Program.
The program will be held at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13 at 628 McCurdy Street.
The presentation is open to the public and will provide information on recognizing, preventing, and reporting elder abuse
American Magic Opens High Performance Center in Pensacola
January 8, 2026
American Magic opened the $20.8 million American Magic High Performance Center (AMHPC) at the Port of Pensacola on Wednesday, marking a milestone in the team’s mission to build a world-class sailing and performance platform in the United States.
The center serves as the team’s operational base and hub for American Magic Services (AMS), where the team’s composite manufacturing and engineering expertise drives advanced manufacturing, marine technologies, and aerospace projects. By combining elite sailing programs with cutting-edge design and precision engineering, Pensacola is positioned as a global center for performance sailing and technological innovation.
The High Performance Center will also operate as the official North American training base for SailGP teams, following a partnership announcement between American Magic and the global sail racing championship. Beginning in September 2026, the Pensacola facility will provide SailGP teams with access to world-class on-water and shore-based training infrastructure, supporting year-round preparation, technical development, and athlete performance.
Doug DeVos, Co-Founder of American Magic, said: “The American Magic High Performance Center is the foundation of our long-term vision: building a sustainable, high-performance American sailing platform. By positioning Pensacola and the U.S. as a destination for world-class training, we strengthen our ability to support all sailors in national and international competitions such as youth, women, Olympic, and SailGP programs.”
“American Magic’s commitment to Pensacola is transformational. This facility creates jobs, stimulates economic activity, and firmly plants a flag in our city as a leading sailing destination. We are proud to host a world-class operation that supports innovation, education, and elite competition,” said Mayor D.C. Reeves.
Established in 2017 to challenge for the America’s Cup, the American Magic team has expanded to integrate U.S. Olympic pathways and SailGP, and to develop further Women’s and Youth programs. Based at the newly opened High Performance Center in Pensacola, Florida, American Magic combines elite athletic preparation with advanced design, engineering, and manufacturing technologies. The team is dedicated to winning at the highest level while creating a sustainable future for American sailing.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
‘She Saved A Lot Of Lives’: Witness Praises School Bus Driver Involved In Crash Near Bratt
January 7, 2026
“She deserves something like a Purple Heart. She saved a lot of lives.”
That’s how a witness described the action of an Escambia County Public Schools bus driver that avoided a potentially serious crash Wednesday morning on West Highway 4 near Bratt.
The witness said the driver of a white Hyundai Sonata, identified by the Florida Highway Patrol as an 18-year-old female, attempted to pass the bus in a no-passing zone on Highway 4 near Still Road. The Sonata sideswiped a red Toyota Camry, and one of the vehicles made minor contact with bus No. 21-21.
The bus was barely scratched as dust was wiped off a small area of the driver’s side.
There were 28 students from Ernest Ward Middle School and Northview High School on the bus, and there were no injuries. The students were later transported, on the same bus, to school. The drivers of the cars were not seriously injured.
“But it could have been much worse,” the witness said. “She (the bus driver) reacted very fast and got off the road to miss hitting the other two. She really deserves a Purple Heart or something.”
The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing its investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
‘Full Speed Ahead’ – Growth and Infrastructure Concerns Dominate District 5 Q&A Session
January 7, 2026
Development and concurrency were the hot topics during an Escambia County District 5 Q&A session Tuesday evening at the Molino Community Center.
With continued residential development in District 5 — approximately the northern 60% of Escambia County that is roughly north of Nine Mile Road — numerous residents passionately called for better regulation on the growth and concurrency. In development, concurrency is a growth management policy requiring that the necessary public facilities and services are available at the same time the impacts of a new development occur.
“Full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes doesn’t work without infrastructure,” local resident Richard Beck told the panel — Molino Utilities president Vernon Prather, School Board member Tom Harrell, Rep. Michelle Salzman, County Administrator Wes Moreno, and ECUA board member and president Kevin Stephens, who hosted the event. District 5 Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry did not attend.
Moreno said the county can’t pick and choose which developments are allowed but is instead required to apply a uniform standard.
“The bible for the development is the land development code, and if the developer meets all the criteria in the land development code, it is very difficult for the board to deny that development,” the county administrator said. “Now, that is something that we can look at, and we’ve talked about it being looked at as far as a rewrite.” He noted that some development applications have been sent back to the Escambia County Planning Board, and some developers have taken the county to court.
“I think what I hear is we could be doing better communication on what’s coming forward and what we’re doing to prepare for it,” Salzman said after further discussion about traffic and schools. She said better planning would involve studies on traffic, drainage and other overall impacts of a new development.
“The school board looks at this the same way you do, and it’s a problem,” Harrell said. He said while some schools have room for growth, like Molino Park Elementary which was planned as a potential K-8 school, other schools simply don’t have any room for growth.
He specifically cited Jim Allen Elementary, which causes arrival and dismissal traffic problems on Highway 95A. He said a new wing could be added or a new school could be constructed if funding were to be available, but there’s currently no good way to get traffic off Highway 95A and onto the school campus with limited acreage and an adjacent park and cemetery.
Salzman said she will consult with the Florida Department of Transportation on potential traffic solutions for Jim Allen “to keep kids safe.” Stephens said ECUA looks for the most cost effective ways to address new developments, often seeking a cost-sharing agreement for utility upgrades that benefit neighborhoods surrounding the development. Prather said the much smaller Molino Utilities struggles with plans on how to serve growing demand from developments, some of which could increase their customer base exponentially.
Another District 5 resident, Bryan Davis, expressed concerns about the impact of continued development on county fire and EMS services, particularly on the remaining volunteer departments such as Walnut Hill.
Panel members expressed that future District 5 meetings will be held in the coming months, and Salzman said she will invite FDOT to attend one of those meetings to talk about transportation needs.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
