Train Hits Log Truck In Brewton, No Serious Injuries
April 13, 2012
There were no serious injuries reported in a train versus 18-wheeler crash Friday morning in Brewton, Ala.
A freight train collided with a log truck just after 9 a.m., sending logs and debris from a railroad crossing signal across Highway 31 in the downtown area. At least other seven other vehicles were involved in the crash as they were struck by logs and debris.
The log truck, according to door markings, was operated by Johnson Logging of Brantley, Ala.
Do you have more photos? Email them to news@northescambia.com
Pictured: A Friday morning wreck involving a train and log truck in downtown Brewton, Ala. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FBI Raids In Bluff Springs, Brewton – Bank Robbery Suspects Arrested
April 13, 2012
[EXCLUSIVE] Two suspects in a recent Brewton bank robbery — including a Century woman — were taken into custody Thursday night as FBI agents conducted simultaneous raids south of Century and near Brewton.
“We are executing a search warrant related to a recent bank robbery in Brewton,” James Stewart, a FBI supervisory senior resident agent, told NorthEscambia.com Thursday night as agents worked to complete an operation at a small travel trailer located in a campground on Bluff Springs Road.
Robin Ann Godwin, age 42, was taken into custody at the travel trailer. She was booked into the Escambia County (Fla.) Jail early Friday where she was held as a fugitive from justice on outstanding bank robbery related warrants from Alabama. Jail records listed her address as another campground at 1300 Liahona Trail.
A man, reported to be Godwin’s father, was also taken into custody Thursday night as FBI agents executed a similar search warrant near Brewton. The man’s name was not available early Friday morning.
Both were reportedly suspects in the February 17 early afternoon robbery of the Bank of Brewton in Brewton, Ala.
A single suspect (pictured left) walked into the bank through a public boardwalk entrance at the rear of the building and demanded cash and fled out the same door. Authorities said at the time that they were not sure exactly how the bandit left the area following the robbery, but a few days later they said the bandit may have headed to Florida.
Nearly a dozen FBI agents from field offices in Mobile and Pensacola spent a couple of hours searching the travel trailer in Bluff Springs Thursday night. Multiple containers of evidence were removed by agents and placed into the back of a SUV. Some of the federal agents were wearing shirts identifying them as members of a “FBI Evidence Response Team”. Working undercover, they would not allow their photographs to be taken.
Campground residents were inside neighboring travel trailers Thursday night as FBI agents finished executing the search warrant. Even a couple of hours after federal agents arrived at the campground, some of the neighbors could be seen periodically peeking out of their doors and windows at the travel trailer in “Lot 2″, with it’s patio crowded with lawn chairs and outdoor decorations. Pink flamingo lawn ornaments and potted plants surrounded the patio — nothing making it look out of place for the quiet area just a few feet from the Escambia River.
More details are expected to be released Friday and will be published here on NorthEscambia.com.
Pictured top and bottom: FBI agents executed a search warrant related to a Brewton bank robbery at this travel trailer on Bluff Springs Road south of Century Thursday night. FBI agents, who were just off camera, would not allow their photographs to be taken. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Names Released: Baby Dead, Adult And Toddler Injured In Fiery Crash
April 13, 2012
An infant was killed and two others were injured in a single vehicle crash Thursday afternoon in Atmore.
Three-month-old Alexis McGhee died in the single vehicle crash just after 1 p.m. Thursday on Highway 21 near the casino in Atmore. According to Alabama State Troopers, she was not restrained. She was ejected and pronounced dead on the scene.
Emmett Clyde Gross Jr., 24, of Atmore was driving north on Highway 21 near the casino in a 1985 Oldmobile Cutlass when he lost control. The vehicle left the roadway, hit an embankment, became airborne and landed on its roof in a field. The vehicle then burst in flames.
Gross, who was not wearing a seat belt, was also ejected from the vehicle. Another passenger, one-year-old Kelyn McGhee, was also injured. Gross and Kelyn McGhee were airlifted to the USA Medical Center in Mobile in two different LifeFlight helicopters in critical condition.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
The Poarch Fire Department, Atmore Fire Department, Atmore Ambulance, the Atmore Police Department, Poarch Police Department and the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
Pictured: A car burst into flames after a single vehicle accident that claimed one life in Atmore Thursday afternoon. Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Appeals Court Overturns Local Juvenile Sentence; Says 80 Years Equals Life
April 13, 2012
A Florida appeals court Thursday tossed out an 80-year prison sentence for a Cantonment man convicted of committing two armed robberies in Cantonment as a juvenile, saying it violates a U.S Supreme Court ban on life sentences for juveniles in non-murder cases.
A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal said the sentence for Antonio Demetrius Floyd, now 31, is the “functional equivalent of a life sentence without parole.”
Floyd was 17 in 1998 when he committed two counts of armed robbery in Cantonment. He was initially sentenced to life in prison, but after the U.S. Supreme Court decision he was re-sentenced to 40 years on each count, according to Thursday’s ruling. The appeals court said Floyd would be 97 years old if he served the full sentence and ordered that the trial court revise the sentence.
“In this case, common sense dictates that (Floyd’s) 80-year sentence, which … is longer than his life expectancy, is the functional equivalent of a life without parole sentence and will not provide him with a meaningful or realistic opportunity to obtain release,” the court ruled.
Floyd, who lived in North Chipper Road in Cantonment, stole a vehicle on November 24, 1998 and robbed an E-Z Serve convenience store at 2110 South Highway 95A and another at 10 Williams Ditch Road.
Within minutes of the early morning robberies, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant spotted a maroon GEO Storm departing the area at a high rate of speed. The deputy lost sight of the vehicle, but it was located abandoned a short time later on Richardson Road. Numerous items taken during the robberies were found inside of the vehicle.
Floyd was tracked a residence in the 4500 block of Richardson Road where Floyd was found in the living room. Clothing was also found that matched the description from the robberies. More than $300 was taken during the robbery on Highway 95A, while less than $300 was taken from the robbery on Williams Ditch Road, according to a 1998 arrest report.
In their Thursday ruling, court also encouraged state lawmakers to address juvenile sentencing to comply with the 2010 Supreme Court decision, which found that life sentences for young offenders in non-murder cases violated the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Lawmakers during this year’s session considered two bills about the issue, but the House and Senate did not come to agreement
Tate Beats Pensacola High
April 13, 2012
The Tate Aggies defeated Pensacola High School Thursday, with wins for both the varsity and junior varsity.
In junior varsity action, Tate beat Pensacola 18-0.
In varsity play, the Aggies beat PHS 10-8. With the win the Aggies improved to 19-1 overall, 12-1 in the district. Winning pitcher for Tate was Blake Edgar, while Peterson took the loss for PHS.
Pensacola Hitters:
Jonathan Bennett 4-4, 3 2B’s, 4 RBI
Jimmy Threat 3-3, 2B, 2 RBI
Brandon Harigel 1-4, 2B, RBI
Tate Hitters:
Austin Quina 1-4, 2B, RBI
David Moorhead 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI
JT Granat 2-2, 2 RBI
Andrew Mack 2-3
Cody Palmer 2-4
Tate will host Milton on Friday. The junior varsity plays at 4:30, followed by the varsity at 7 p.m.
Commission: No Libraries To Close; Funding Solution Unknown
April 13, 2012
About 200 people wearing red attended an Escambia County Commission meeting Thursday morning to protest cuts to the county’s library system as commissioners tentatively agreed not to close any library branches.
“We are not going to do a massive cut to the libraries to the point where one have to close,” Commissioner Wilson Robertson said. Robertson sported a large button that proclaimed “Library” on his jacket during the meeting.
Commissioners, however, did not rule out trimming the library budget or the budget of any other county department as they work to solve a projected multi-million dollar shortfall next fiscal year.
And commissioners made no decision on how to continuing funding the libraries — including the Century Branch Library and the under-construction Molino Library.
Commissioners discussed numerous ways to make up a projected $9.5 million across the board deficit, most of which is due to a new Medicaid law signed by Gov. Rick Scott. That law will force the county to pay $6.2 million to the state for disputed Medicaid bills that have been adding up for about a decade. County Administrator Randy Oliver had identified the library as one possible source toward solving their impending budget crisis.
The problem, commissioners agreed, was state mandates, not local budget management.
“I find it ridiculous that those jackasses in Tallahassee can use local governments to balance their budgets,” an obviously agitated Commissioner Kevin White said. “It just blows my mind.”
Commissioner reaction was mixed on how to solve the budget problems — from Marie Young and Whitesuggesting a .5 mils property tax increase to Gene Valentino saying the county should first find ways to trim the bottom line before considering a tax increase.
“Five-tenths of a mil would solve all of our problems,” Young said. “What’s the big deal about raising taxes? That’s not a big deal—Ohhh, somebody’s going to take that and run with it.”
“We cannot provide the current level of services on the current revenues,” County Administrator Randy Oliver said.
The commission will schedule budge workshops in the coming to weeks to iron out how to save the $9.5 million.
Pictured above: Library supporters wearing red packed an Escambia County Commission meeting Thursday morning. Pictured below: After the commission chambers filed, library supporters gathered in the atrium of the governmental complex to watch the meeting on a television feed. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Perfect Property Audits At Byrneville, Jim Allen And Northview
April 13, 2012
Routine property inventories at three North Escambia schools found that the schools could property account for 1,235 items worth $1.8 million dollars.
No Escambia County School District assets were missing from Byrneville Elementary, Jim Allen Elementary or Northview High School.
According to Jim Allen Principal Rachel Watts the non-working computer was labeled for discard and may have been accidentally placed in a dumpster by a custodian rather than being returned to the district’s surplus department.
At Byrneville, auditors located 78 district owned items worth $114,774.49 . All of Jim Allen’s 553 items with an original cost of $742,812.52 were located, as were all of the 604 inventory items with an original cost of $980,535.75 at Northview High School.
The Escambia County School District routinely audits property at schools in the county.
Century Correctional Inmates To Graduate Next Week
April 13, 2012
Six Century Correctional Institution inmates will receive their GED diplomas next week.
The inmates obtained their GED diplomas by passing a five-part test consisting of reading/language and writing (including an essay), math, social studies and science.
In addition, 11 inmates will also be receiving their Florida Ready to Work certificates. Florida Ready to Work is an innovative state-funded workforce education and economic development program that provides student/jobseekers with a standard credential that certifies their workplace readiness and ability to succeed on the job.
The number of Florida inmates earning GED certificates has nearly doubled in three years, increasing from 1,313 in fiscal year 2006-07 to 2,603 awarded in fiscal year 2009-10.
Pictured: A GED graduation for six Century Correctional Institution inmates will be held next week in the prison’s chapel. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
On The Menu: ‘Fresh Kittens Here’
April 13, 2012
A menu board type sign in Cantonment caught a little bit of attention Thursday. The”Fresh Kittens Here, Ask to See” signs had drivers looking twice along Highway 29 while sign photos made the rounds on Facebook.
But not to worry, the sign was not for a restaurant, but for the Companion Animal Clinic, which had several newly arrived kittens up for adoption.
Interested in adopting one of the “Fresh Kittens”? Call the Companion Animal Clinic at (850) 968-0226 or visit them at 470 South Highway 29, in the old Winn Dixie shopping Center.
Pictured: “Fresh Kittens” were available in Cantonment Thursday. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Pcola Blue Wahoos Snap Skid With 6-3 Win Over Mobile
April 13, 2012
The Blue Wahoos came back to snap back to back losses with a 6-3 win over the Mobile BayBears at Hank Aaron Stadium on Thursday night in Mobile. Didi Gregorius led the way by going 4-for-5 with a couple of runs scored and an RBI as the Blue Wahoos pounded out a season-high 15 hits in the winning effort.
The Blue Wahoos got off to a fast start with a three-run first inning compliments of Mike Costanzo’s league leading third home run of the season, a three-run shot. The BayBears answered with a single tally in the bottom of the first inning against Blue Wahoos starter Daniel Corcino. The BayBears went on to add single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings against the Wahoos starter to even the score at three.
Pensacola reclaimed the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh when Gregorius scored from third on an RBI groundout by Henry Rodriguez. Two batters later, Cody Puckett tripled off the top of the left field wall scoring Ryan LaMarre from third after he had doubled earlier in the frame. Pensacola added an insurance run in the eighth when Gregorius singled home Josh Fellhauer.
Offensively the Blue Wahoos had four players with multi-hit games. Rodriguez (2-for-5), Brodie Greene (3-for-5) and Josh Fellhauer (2-for-5) all collected multiple hits in addition to Gregorius.
Corcino didn’t record a decision after working five innings and getting charged with two earned runs, three total. Mark Serrano (W, 1-0) earned the win out of the bullpen after working a pair of scoreless innings. Serrano, Clayton Tanner and Donnie Joseph (S, 3) combined to turn in four scoreless innings for the Blue Wahoos in relief. Joseph worked a scoreless ninth to earn his third save of the season.
Bryan Henry (L, 0-1) was saddled with the loss for the BayBears after allowing the go-ahead runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Mobile starter Derek Eitel didn’t record a decision.
The Blue Wahoos look to even the series on Friday night at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile. The Blue Wahoos will send right hander Tim Crabbe to the mound against Mobile lefty Patrick Corbin. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
By Tommy Thrall