Flomaton Man Charged With Davisville BP Burglary
July 5, 2012
A Flomaton man has been arrested in connection with a June burglary at a Davisville convenience store.
Curtis Charles Black, 29, was charged with burglary, petit theft and criminal mischief property damage. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $16,500.
The entire June 7 burglary at the Korner Kwik Stop (BP) on Highway 97 in Davisville was caught on video, and it was that video posted on NorthEscambia.com that first led deputies to Black as their suspect only a few hours after the crime.
An anonymous tipster saw the video and told deputies that they recognized Black from the video — and the Facebook page where a photo of the getaway vehicle was posted. Later, fingerprints recovered at the scene also fingered Black as the suspect.
The video shows a white male, allegedly Black, busting out the window of the store about 9:20 p.m., just after the store closed at 9 p.m.
- To watch the survellience video, click here.
- For a photo gallery showing the burglary and the investigation, click here.
The video shows Black arriving in a light colored extended cab pickup truck with an emblem over the front windshield. He parks in front of the store and spends several minutes in the truck. Black then exits and takes a hammer to break out the window. He also tried unsuccessfully to break out the door glass. He then jumps through the broken window, rummages around behind the counter and tosses cigarettes and rolls of coins outside. Black also tries unsuccessfully to push buttons in order to open the cash register…all while leaving fingerprints behind.
While inside the store, he is seen using what appears to be towel in his hand in attempt not to leave fingerprints, but he often forgets to cover his hands.
At one point, a towel slips off his head showing most of his face on the video.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime scene technician recovered blood samples from broken glass and removed multiple fingerprints from the scene.
One Dead In Fiery Escambia Crash
July 5, 2012
One person was killed in fiery traffic crash late Wednesday night in Escambia County.
The accident happened about 11:07 p.m. on Muldoon Road south of Cerny Road. The driver of a 2004 Cadillac lost control for unknown reasons and slammed into a tree. The vehicle was fully involved in flames when first responders arrived on scene and was completely destroyed.
The name of the driver has not yet been released.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Flame Broiled? Lightning Temporarily Closes Burger King
July 5, 2012
A little more than Whoppers were smoking late Wednesday afternoon at the Burger King in Cantonment.
Restaurant employees reported an electrical burning smell in the building about 5:45 p.m. — about an hour after employees said the building was struck by lightning.
Firefighters from Cantonment, Molino and Ensley responded and did find a burnt electrical plug and other evidence of a lightning strike. Power to the building was cut, temporarily closing the restaurant for the evening.
There was no major damage found and no injuries.
Cutbacks Planned For Century Post Office
July 5, 2012
There will be cutbacks at the Century Post Office next month, but postal officials say the public won’t notice — unless an upcoming study recommends more drastic changes.
Effective August 11, rural mail carriers working out of the Century Post Office will instead work out of the Jay Post Office. The retail window and post office boxes in Century will remain unchanged in the short term.
“We will then evaluate the Century Post Office in September to determine the best future use of resources,” Sam Bolen, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service said.
That evaluation, Bolen said, could result in no changes, decreased hours of service or even closure. In the event any changes recommended to retail hours or post office boxes at the Century Post Office, a public meeting will first be held for community input.
That meeting could happen at any point between September 2012 and September 2014. Adequate public notice of any meeting will be given, Bolen said. Any decision about the post office would not come until 15 to 30 days after a public meeting.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Employee Dies In Virginia Wreck
July 5, 2012
A Gulf Power employee working to restore power to a storm battered area in Virginia was killed when she lost control of her vehicle due to brake problems and slammed into another vehicle, authorities said.
Jacqueline R. Green, 57, of Milton, was pronounced dead a the scene of the crash on Route 7 near Bluemont, VA. A fellow Gulf Power worker, Jonathan Powell, was transported to the Winchester Medical Center.
Green was driving a 2004 Freightliner bucket truck pulling a service trailer northbound on Blue Ridge Mountain Road about 7:20 p.m. Tuesday when there appeared to be a problem with the vehicle’s brakes, according to the Loudoun County (Va.) Sheriff’s Office.
According to witnesses, the Freightliner proceeded into the southbound lane of Blue Ridge Mountain Road, steering to the left and passing the first truck in a convoy of utility vehicles. Green continued down the hill towards the intersection with Route 7. Witness accounts indicate that the Freightliner traveled into the eastbound lanes of Route 7 where the driver struck a 2008 Freightliner. That vehicle was pushed into the side of an eastbound 2012 Toyota Tacoma, officials said.
The driver of the pickup and her juvenile passenger were taken to an area hospital where they were treated and released. The driver of semi was also transported to the hospital.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit is investigating the brakes on the utility truck as witness accounts indicated that it appeared that Green lost control of the vehicle’s brakes on the downhill grade and that the vehicle gained speed as it continued downhill.
Green was driving in a convoy of three Gulf Power (FL) trucks in the area as part of a mutual aid agreement assisting Dominion Virginia Power crews. The three trucks were headed to nearby staging area.
Virginia official are continuing their investigation.
Fire Damages Atmore Home; Firefighter Injured
July 5, 2012
Two people were left homeless after a house fire in Atmore Wednesday night — the second house fire in the city in less than 24 hours. And, also for the second time in a day, an Atmore firefighter was sent to the hospital.
The fire was reported about 8:55 in the 1100 block of Horner Street, with a 911 caller reporting smoke pouring from an attic vent. No one was at home at the time of the fire; a mother and five-year old child had left the home about an hour before the fire.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
One Atmore firefighter was transported to Atmore Community Hospital due to heat exhaustion.
The Atmore Fire Department, Poarch Fire Department and the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the fire, along with Atmore Ambulance the Atmore Police Department.
Late Tuesday night, another Atmore house fire claimed the life of an 11-year old girl and sent five first responders to the hospital. For an earlier story about that fire, click here.
Pictured top: Fire damaged a home on Horner Street in Atmore Wednesday night. Pictured inset: Firefighters work to extinguish the blaze. Pictured below: One Atmore firefighter was transported to Atmore Community Hospital due to heat exhaustion. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge..
Wahoos Beat Barons 7-3
July 5, 2012
Pensacola designated hitter Brodie Greene drove in four runs, including a three-run homer in the second, as the Blue Wahoos plated five runs in that frame to top the Birmingham Barons 7-3 in front of another sellout crowd on Wednesday evening at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The win is the third straight for the Fish and improves their second half mark to 9-5, while the Barons fell to 8-6 since the All-Star Break. The capacity crowd was the 27th of the year and third straight in 40 home dates in the club’s inaugural season.
After Pensacola plated their first run in the opening frame thanks to an RBI single by LF Bryson Smith, Birmingham answered to even the game at 1-1 in the second courtesy of LF Brady Shoemaker’s solo homer to left.
The Blue Wahoos however would go ahead for good with five runs in the bottom of the frame. 3B David Vidal led off with a single, before he was plated by RF Andrew Means’ RBI triple to make it 2-1. After Means came plateward on an RBI groundout, C Mark Fleury and CF Ryan LaMarre both walked before Greene launched his third home run of the year to left to push the margin to 6-1.
Birmingham and Pensacola would then swap tallies in the sixth, with Barons 2B Tyler Saladino blasting his third longball of the season to right, while LaMarre began the sixth with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a ground out before Greene brought him home with a sacrifice fly for his fourth RBI of the evening. The Barons got their last run of the game in the eighth when DH Seth Loman drove in a run with an RBI single.
Blue Wahoos starter Daniel Corcino (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) earned the win after yielding just two earned runs on four hits in his six innings, while RHP Justin Freeman (1.2 IP, 1 H) notched his sixth save of the year after tossing the final 1.2 innings. Birmingham starter Matt Wickswat (3.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 7 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 1-6 after allowing six earned runs on six hits while walking seven in three frames.
LaMarre (2-3, 2 R, 2 BB) Smith (2-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB) and Vidal (2-4, 1 R, 1 2B) all recorded two hits for the Fish, while Saladino (2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI) and Shoemaker (2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI) collected multi-hit efforts for the Barons.
With the Wahoos leading the series 1-0, the two teams will meet again Thursday night at 7:05 pm at the bayfront stadium. RHP J.C. Sulbaran is scheduled to take the hill for Pensacola, while Birmingham LHP Pedro Hernandez is expected to toe the rubber.
By Andrew Green
Pictured; Brodie Greene homered & drove in four in the Wahoos’ 7-3 win Wednesday night. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Child Dies In Atmore House Fire; First Responders Injured (With Gallery)
July 4, 2012
A fire late Tuesday night in Atmore claimed the life of 11-year old Nyamiah Weeks Weeks and sent five first responders to the the hospital.
The fire was reported about 11:15 p.m. in the 100 block of Beck Street.
Firefighters were quickly able to knock down the fire in the 1600 square foot wood frame home. By 11:45 p.m., family members learned that Nehemiah had just been found dead inside the home.
“”She was such a sweet, loving girl,” said a family member that did not wish to be named. “She was always so happy. And she was so happy to be going to the middle school.” She would have started Escambia County Middle School in Atmore in August.
“I just can’t believe she’s gone. Little angel now,” he said. “God’s little angel.”
Preliminary information indicates the fire started after Nyamiah Weeks made a grilled cheese sandwich and left the stove on after cooking. Her grandmother, Jackie McMurray, escaped the blaze and was not injured.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
The fire was still under investigation Wednesday morning, with Atmore Fire Chief Gerry McGhee saying that it could be a matter of days before the State Fire Marshal determined the fire’s origination.
Four firefighters and one Atmore police officer were transported to Atmore Community Hospital to be treated for injuries, McGhee said. The police officer suffered burns to his hands in a rescue attempt. All had been treated and released by mid-morning Wednesday.
Pictured top: An Atmore police officer and an unidentified man console a relative of a young girl killed in an Atmore house fire. Pictured below: Smoke pours from the Beck Street home in Atmore as paramedics treat an injured firefighter on the lawn. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Arson After Suspicious Fires Damage Escambia High School (With Gallery)
July 4, 2012
Suspicious fires damaged Escambia High School Tuesday night, and a Pensacola man has been charged with arson for starting the blazes.
Smoke was pouring from the roof of the two story portion of the school shortly after firefighters arrived shortly after 11 p.m. Crews from multiple fire stations search the buildings for the origination of the smoke as ladder trucks towered over the school on 65th Avenue in Myrtle Grove.
Firefighters were able to locate a fire in at least two different classrooms as smoke filled much of the sprawling buildings. There were no injuries reported.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office was called in to the investigate the fire, along with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators and a crime scene unit were still at the school after 3 a.m. Wednesday.
Daniel Lance Quattlebaum, 21, was charged with arson, burglary and criminal mischief with property damage in connection with the incident. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday with bond set at $112,500.
Further details have not yet been released.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy watches as two Escambia County firefighters pull a ventilation fan down a smoke filled outdoor corridor early Wednesday morning at Escambia County High School. Pictured inset: Smoke billows from Escambia High School shortly after the first firefighters arrive on scene Tuesday night. Pictured below: A ladder truck aerial towers over Escambia High School. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, Bob Solarski/WEAR 3 and reader submitted photos, click to enlarge.
TV Icon Andy Griffith Dead At Age 86
July 4, 2012
TV icon and “America’s Sheriff” Andy Griffith passed away at his home in North Carolina Tuesday morning. He was 86.
Famous for “The Andy Griffith Show” from 1960-68, he also started in “Mayberry R.F.D.”, the legal drama Matlock and made guest appearances on numerous other shows. He was also a Grammy award winning Southern Gospel Singer.
He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in 2005.
Ron Howard, cast as Griffith’s television son Opie Taylor, commented on Twitter, “Andy Griffith’s pursuit of excellence and the joy he took in creating served generations and shaped my life. I’m forever grateful. RIP Andy.”