Jay Resident Dies Three Weeks After Traffic Crash
July 30, 2013
A Jay resident had passed away following a July traffic crash.
Westley Lynn Mote, 26, died Saturday. On July 6, Mote was northbound on Chumuckla Highway near 10 Mile Road about 12:30 a.m. when he drifted off the road onto the east shoulder, over corrected, crossed both lanes of the highway, ran off the west shoulder, and hit a tree, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Mote was critically injured and was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. A passenger in the 1998 Chevrolet S10, 26-year old Natalie Raye Mote, was seriously injured and also transported to Sacred Heart. Neither occupant was wearing a seat belt, the FHP said.
Report: Bennett Pushed Grade Changes That Benefited Donor
July 30, 2013
Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett and his Indiana employees “frantically overhauled” the Hoosier State’s school-grading system last year when it looked like one of his political contributors’ schools might get a “C,” the Associated Press reported.
According to the AP, Bennett — who was then superintendent of public instruction in Indiana — became alarmed when Christel House’s initial marks came back lower than expected. Bennett had touted Christel House in his drive for reform, and its founder had donated $130,000 to Bennett as part of $2.8 million contributed by Christel DeHaan to Republicans over the last 15 years.
“They need to understand that anything less than an A for Christel House compromises all of our accountability work,” Bennett wrote in one email obtained by the AP.
But he told the news organization Monday morning that the changes in Indiana helped schools besides Christel House. “This wasn’t just to give Christel House an A. It was to make sure the system was right to make sure the system was face valid,” Bennett said. Unlike Florida, Indiana allows voters to select the head of the state’s education system.
Bennett was defeated for re-election last year.
by The News Service of Florida
Details Emerge In Deputy Involved Shooting Of Unarmed Man
July 30, 2013
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan released more details Monday about an unarmed man shot at his own home by two deputies early Saturday morning.
Roy Howard Middleton, 60, said he was searching for a cigarette in his mother’s car when deputies approached.
The deputies had answered a theft in progress call about 2:40 a.m., according to Morgan, on Shadow Lawn Lane. A caller had reported that a subject was attempting to steal a white car parked in the driveway of the residence. Just before deputies arrived, the caller reported to a 911 dispatcher that the subject was still inside the vehicle. The deputies arrived, parked a few houses away, and approached on foot.
The deputies ordered Middleton to get out of the Lincoln Town Car and put his hands up, but they say he was not compliant. At one point, he started to get out of the car, but then got back in and reached toward the center console. Then Middleton exited the car very quickly with a lunging motion with one hand raised with something metallic in it, Morgan said. Sgt. Matthew White and Deputy Jeremiah Meeks then fired 15 rounds, hitting Middleton in the leg. Morgan said the deputies feared for their safety. He attributed the number of shots fired to “officer anxiety”.
“There’s numerous commands going throughout this incident,” Morgan said. “You’ve got to remember, everybody’s ramped at this point.”
The first shots were fired by Meeks, the sheriff said. He said White was to the right of Meeks and unable to determine if Middleton was firing, so White also fired in the suspect’s direction as backup.
A third officer on the scene, Wayne Wright, was still walking toward the driveway when the gunfire began. “Sergeant White was slightly ahead of me, and as I got closer to the residence I observed Deputy Meeks near the end of the driveway,” Wright wrote in an incident report. “I then heard verbal commands being shouted to have the subject get out of the vehicle and show his hands. Deputy Meeks and Sergeant White then both fired their weapons.”
“If we rolled on the scene and Mr. Middleton had been compliant and Mr. Middleton had followed all directions of the law enforcement officers, I can give you with a 99.9 percent of assurance that this shooting would not have occurred. But when an individual, a suspect, or victim in this case, is not compliant, then the officers react to that,” Morgan said. “We are not in control of that. The individual we are approaching is in control of that.”
Middleton and his family tell a different story. Middleton said he at first thought the flashlights were those of his neighbors playing a trick on him. He said he followed the orders given by deputies and raised his hands, holding his car keys with metal flashlight. When he turned to face the deputies, they opened fire.
Meeks has been with the Sheriff’s Office for two years; White has served for 15 years. Both are on paid administrative leave, as is standard procedure in officer involved shootings.
The shooting is under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office.
Tate’s Dunsford, West Florida’s Rosario Named To All-State Softball Teams
July 30, 2013
Miracle Sports has named two local players to the 2013 All State Softball Team.
Rachel Dunsford, an incoming senior at Tate high school, made First Team 6A for 2013 as a Utility player. The University of Alabama Birmingham commit hit .432 for the year with eight doubles, two home runs, 16 RBI, .519 on base percentage and a .591 slugging percentage. In 2012, Rachel made Second Team All State.
Korina Rosario, incoming senior at West Florida High, made Honorable Mention in 5A for 2013. The Florida State commit hit. .467 for the year with 12 doubles, four triples, one home run, 16 RBI, .495 on base percentage and had nine stolen bases. Korina was 9-4 pitching for the jaguars with 134 strikeouts and a .166 batting average against.
Both players will sign their National Letter of Intent with their respective universities in November.
Miracle Sports is the official website of the Florida High school softball rankings and the Florida All-State high school softball teams.
Pictured: Korina Rosario (left) and Rachel Dunsford. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Renken Leads Wahoos To Second Straight Shutout
July 30, 2013
Daniel Renken fired six shutout frames for the second straight outing and the Blue Wahoos offense provided two early runs to knock off the Mobile BayBears 2-0 on Monday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. It was Pensacola’s ninth shutout of the season and extended the team’s scoreless innings streak to 18 innings.
Renken (5-7), riding a string of six consecutive quality starts since his last start against Mobile, dominated the BayBears over six innings. The right-hander allowed three scattered hits while falling one shy of a season-high in strikeouts with six. Renken’s lone bit of trouble came in the fifth when he worked with two runners on and one out, but he got a groundout and a strikeout to retire the side. With the six shutout frames, Renken extended his scoreless innings streak to 17.1 frames dating back to July 12.
The Pensacola offense provided solo tallies in the first two frames for the only runs of the night. In the first inning, Yorman Rodriguez jacked his second home run of the year off Mobile starter David Holmberg to give the Wahoos a 1-0 lead. An inning later, Ray Chang doubled home Travis Mattair to give Pensacola a 2-0 lead.
Holmberg took the loss for Mobile to fall to 5-6 on the season. He allowed two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
That was more than enough for Renken, who gave way to Lee Hyde in the seventh inning. The Wahoos southpaw reliever fired two scoreless frames, allowing just one hit to extend his personal scoreless streak to 27.1 innings dating back to May 21.
Trevor Bell came on in the ninth inning and retired the BayBears in order to pick up his ninth save of the year.
Pensacola will now look to take the series against Mobile on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. Tim Crabbe (4-7, 3.33) looks to build on his nine scoreless innings last time out for Pensacola against Mobile’s Bo Schultz.
story by Kevin Burke
Argument With Credit Card Company Lands Man In Jail On Drug Charges
July 29, 2013
An argument on the phone with his credit card company ended with a Walnut Hill man in the Escambia County Jail.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Raceway at 406 Airport Boulevard in Pensacola after receiving a call about a disturbance. When asked if he was arguing with someone, Kevin Foster Bey, 52, told deputies he was yelling on the phone with a credit card company.
A records check revealed Bey had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear, and he was placed under arrest. When he was searched, deputies found a pill bottle with rock cocaine and two marijuana cigarettes in Bay’s pockets, according to an arrest report.
Bey was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $8,000.
Two Injured After Hitting Deer In Bratt
July 29, 2013
Two people were injured in single vehicle crash with a deer early Monday morning in Bratt.
The accident happened about 12:50 a.m. on West Highway 4 near Vaughn Road, east of Northview High School. Both occupants of the Buick LeSabre were transported to Atmore Community Hospital by Atmore Ambulance. Their injuries were not considered severe.
The deer did not not survive the crash.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol also responded to the crash.
Pictured: Two people were injured after hitting a deer on West Highway 4, east of Northview High School early Monday morning. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Century Store And Clerk Struck By Lightning
July 29, 2013
A Century store clerk received a shock at work Sunday evening when the store was struck by lightning.
The clerk at the Dollar General on North Century Boulevard reported she received a shock from the cash register when lightning hit the store about 8:25 p.m. The 25-year old female was not seriously injured. She was transported by Escambia County EMS to Jay Hospital for evaluation.
There was no significant damage reported to the store.
Barrineau Park 4-H Members Donate To Children’s Hospital
July 29, 2013
Dillon Conti challenged his fellow Barrineau Park 4-H Club members to give something back to the community.
He presented them with the idea of collecting board games to donate to the Child Life Program at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Pensacola.
Each member set aside a portion of the proceeds they received from the sale of their animal and showmanship winning from the GCA/NRA Spring Livestock Show last April at the Langley Bell 4-H Center. Each club member used the funds to purchase a board game of their choice.
The Barrineau Park 4-H Club members presented the board games Wednesday morning to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. Club members plan to make another donation next year.
Members of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club visited Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital Wednesday to donate board games for patients. Scrabble, Trouble, Scrabble Slam and other games will provide hours of entertainment. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Teen Bitten By Poisonous Snake At Canoe Creek
July 29, 2013
A teenager was hospitalized Sunday evening after being bit by what was believed to be a poisonous snake.
The teen was at Canoe Creek along Highway 29 in McDavid when he was bitten by the snake about 7:15 p.m. EMS reported that he was unconscious after being bitten by what was believed to be a cottonmouth snake.
The teen was transported by a Santa Rosa County ambulance to West Florida Hospital for treatment. His name and condition were not available.