Baker Beats Jay
October 22, 2011
The Baker Gators defeated the Jay Royals 61-26 Friday night in Baker. The Gators amassed 500 yards of total offense against the Royals.
Jay’s Allen Perry had just over 100 rushing yards of his own for the Royals, while Jay quarterback Tate Upton had 172 yards passing with two touchdowns. Sammy James had two touchdowns for the Royals.
Jay (3-5, 0-2) will travel to Graceville in a non-district game at 7 p.m. Friday.
On A Roll: West Florida Wins Another One
October 22, 2011
The West Florida Jaguars are on a big time wining streak — the longest ever in the history of the school. With a 25-19 win over Rutherford Friday night, the Jags improved to 7-0.
West Florida took an early lead with 7:03 to go in the first quarter with a field goal from Luke Jackson on the opening driver for the Jags. West Florida scored again with 7:03 in the first with a 43-yard touchdown by Lawrence Lee on a pass from Kyle Faxlanger. A good kick from Luke Jackson, and Jaguars were up 10-0.
West Florida scored again in the first with a 25-yard field goal from Jackson.
In the second, the Jaguars saw a Lee touchdown on a 46-yard pass from Faxlanger and a 38-yard field goal from Jackson. In the third, West Florida had a safety after Rutherford snapped the pigskin over the kicker’s head.
West Florida (7-0, 3-0) will host Arnold next Friday night in a district matchup.
Two Killed, Five Injured In Early Morning I-10 Wreck
October 21, 2011
Two people — an adult and a child — were killed in an early morning wreck on I-10 in Pensacola between the Highway 29 and Pine Forest Road exits.
The Florida Highway Patrol says 43-year old Kimberly Renee Rodrigues of Pensacola was traveling west on I-10 at 4:40 a.m. in a 2008 Toyota pickup when she rear-ended a 1996 Chevrolet cargo van driven by Melissa Lynn Lyublanovits, 44, of Pensacola. The pickup rotated and came to rest across the westbound lanes of I-10, while the cargo van came to rest off the roadway.
Lovett Deshun Cummings, age 33 of Riviera Beach, Florida, who was also westbound on I-10, steered right in an attempt to miss the Toyota pickup across the roadway. Cummings lost control as her 2003 GMC SUV began to rotate. The SUV overturned and rolled over into a wooded area. The front seat passenger, 71-year old Lovett Junior Cummings of West Palm Beach, was pronounced dead at the scene by Escambia County EMS. Lovett Deshun Cummings II, age 11, was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the middle row of seats and pronounced dead at the scene. Two other passengers in the SUV, 66-year old Beverly Dale Cummings of West Palm Beach and 4-year old Lance Lamar Cummings of Riveria Beach were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital.
Rodrigues, the driver of the pickup, was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition. Lyublanovits, the driver of the cargo, received only minor injuries.
Charges are pending, according to the FHP, as their investigation continues.
At least three other people were taken to area hospitals after the multi-vehicle accident, including one that was airlifted by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital.
The accident happened shortly before 5 a.m. between the Highway 29 and Pine Forest Road exits when a pickup truck (pictured above) rear-ended a delivery truck. A sport utility vehicle was then involved in the crash. Traffic was once again moving through the area very slowly by 7 a.m.
Further details have not yet been released by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured above: A pickup involved in an early morning accident on I-10. (Note: The tractor-trailer in the photo was not involved in the crash.)The scene early Friday morning on I-10 in Pensacola where at least two people were killed in a multi-vehicle accident. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Robertson Investigation Reqested; Gibbs To Be Removed As Equestrian Center Manager
October 21, 2011
The Escambia County Commission voted Thursday night to ask three state agencies to investigate if Commissioner Wilson Robertson broke any laws when he became involved in the hiring of manager at the county’s Equestrian Center.
On a motion made by Robertson, the commission voted 4-0, with Gene Valentino absent, to request an investigation by the State Attorney’s Office, the Florida Attorney General and the Florida Commission on Ethics into Robertson’s involvement in the process that led to the hiring of Forrest Gibbs as Equestrian Center boss.
“If they determine that any wrongdoing of any kind, illegal, took place, that I will live by their decision,” Robertson said Thursday night, “and let’s put this to rest.”
“I have done absolutely no wrong, either legally or morally,” Robertson said in a written statement released Tuesday. “I have, however, tried to do the right thing for the taxpaying citizens of Escambia County and the users of this fine facility and the mandate of the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners.”
Robertson was accused of becoming overly involved Gibbs’ hiring, possibly influencing the process — which could be illegal. There have also been allegations made that Robertson was involved in getting Gibbs a salary that was higher than advertised $44,000.
Robertson said eight of about 60 applicants were selected an interviewed by the selection committee for the post. After the committee selected Gibbs, Robertson said he contacted Assistant County Administrator Larry Newsome and the county attorney “to remind them of the budget the county had created and approved, including the starting salary of $60,000.00 plus benefits per year.”
There was no attempt to to influence the candidate chosen for the position, Robertson said.
Gibbs will be removed from his position at the Equestrian Center, and the position will be advertised under the watchful eye of County Administrator Randy Oliver.
The commission also approved policies Thursday night that will prevent any commissioner from being as a job reference for a county job, and prevent commissioner from speaking to the human resource department or selection committee about an applicant until an offer is accepted.
‘Game Over’ – Atmore Baby Killer Executed
October 21, 2011
Convicted baby killer Christopher Thomas of Atmore was executed by lethal injection Thursday night at Holman Prison in Atmore. He was pronounced dead at 6:25 p.m. after uttering his final words “Game over”.
Johnson, 38, testified that he purposefully beat his son, Elias Ocean Johnson, to death on February 20, 2005, at a duplex on Horner Street in Atmore because he hated his wife Dana Johnson.
His final meal, chosen from food available in the Holman cafeteria, was a turkey bologna sandwich with tomatoes and cheese, french fries, and an orange drink. When asked if he had any final words as the execution process began just after 6 p.m. Thursday, he said “Game over.”
There was one family member that witnessed the execution — Thomas Eugene Lagos, who also visited Johnson during the day.
“He paid his price,” Largos said, according to media pool reports. “He’s been waiting on this awhile.”
“Thursday I will be granted closure finally,” Dana Johnson told NorthEscambia.com in an exclusive interview earlier in the week. Now living in Arizona, she did not attend the execution. “Although I normally do not agree with capital punishment, I will not lose any sleep over this particular execution. Whether it is right or wrong I feel that a weight will be lifted from my soul on Thursday, and finally I will feel relief.”
“You go see Jesus,” were the last words Christopher Johnson said to his son, he testified at his trial, before beating him to death.
Those words have unimaginably haunted Dana Johnson for over six years. She’s rarely spoken about the murder, and shared photos of baby Elias for the first-time ever in a NorthEscambia.com story published Monday.
“My son was the most delightful calm little boy I have ever known. Christopher Johnson took him from me. I have spent years trying to heal from this unimaginable pain,” Dana Johnson said. “I am scarred by this, and Christopher took away my son, my trust in other people, and even my desire to ever have another child. I still have a hard time being around children because of the sorrow it makes me feel. Everyday I see children that are Elias’ age, and I wonder what he would have been like.”
“I can tell you one thing, Thursday will be a day of closure for me, whether that is wrong or right. I curse the day that I met that man,” Dana Johnson said earlier in the week, adding that she feels sorry that Atmore is associated with this heinous crime.
“I am sorry that the people of Atmore, myself, and my son had to be subjected to this horrible crime. The people of Atmore were some of the kindest and most welcoming people I have ever met,” she said.
Christopher Johnson fired his public defenders and served as his own attorney during his 2006 Escambia County trial, telling the judge and jury that he wanted the death penalty for his actions. It took the jury less than a half hour to return a guilty verdict, and the death penalty was imposed.
Pictured: Christopher Thomas Johnson is scheduled to be executed Thursday for the murder of this little boy, Elias Ocean Johnson, back in 2005 in Atmore. This is the first time these photos of Elias Johnson have ever been published. NorthEscambia.com exclusive, click to enlarge.
Funeral Sunday In Cantonment For Former Escambia Sheriff
October 21, 2011
Funeral services have been set for Escambia County Sheriff Jim Lowman.
Lowman, who served as sheriff from 1992-2000, passed away Wednesday night after battling an undisclosed illness for months. He had also recently undergone a hip replacement. Lowman was 76.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Cantonment, with visitation to be held one hour prior to service time. Faith Chapel Funeral Home North in Cantonment is in charge of arrangement.
He was narrowly defeated for reelection by Ron McNesby in 2000, losing by just 2,110 votes.
Photos: Hundreds Attend Flomaton Fall Festival
October 21, 2011
Hundreds of people from across the area attended the annual Fall Festival Thursday night in Flomaton as characters of all sorts roamed the street. The event also included a big pep rally for the Flomaton Hurricanes.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured: Scenes from the Flomaton Fall Festival Thursday night in Flomaton, Alabama. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Baldwin County Man Convicted Of Murdering Escambia Gold Dealer
October 21, 2011
A Baldwin County jury deliberated only an hour and 15 minutes Thursday morning before finding David Coombs guilty of capital murder in the 2009 robbery/shooting death of an Escambia County gold dealer.
Baldwin County District Attorney Hallie Dixon praised the teamwork of law enforcement officers and prosecutors in presenting the case against Coombs in a trial that has lasted nearly three weeks. “This is the way it’s supposed to work,” Dixon said. “The teamwork among the law enforcement agencies and our office has been just phenomenal. That teamwork made it possible to present a lot of information to the jury in a way that obviously helped them reach their decision quickly.”
Coombs, 35, was convicted of shooting 57-year-old William Grunden in the back of the head after luring him to a deserted, wooded location in the Wilcox area, and stealing thousands of dollars from him. Prosecutors presented evidence that Coombs went on a spending spree and repaid debts in the hours and days following the murder.
Atmore Man Shot To Death On Philadelphia Street
October 21, 2011
A former Atmore resident was shot and killed early Tuesday morning in Philadelphia — one of four people slain in about an hour in separate shootings in that city.
LaJuan E. Morrison, 29, was found dead with a bullet wound to the head on the sidewalk of Philadelphia street at 12:04 after police responded to a 911 call about a shooting in the area, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:13 a.m. Police do not have a motive for the shooting.
Morrison was a resident of the 3100 block of North 29th Street in North Philadelphia.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Turner Funeral Chapel, LLC in Atmore.
Public Hearing Held On Fannie Road Bridge Replacement
October 21, 2011
The Florida Department of Transportation held a public meeting Thursday about a planned bridge replacement on Fannie Road over Dead Lake in Century.
Construction for this project is currently funded in 2014. Proposed improvements include replacement of the current bridge at Dead Lake with a new concrete structure consisting of two 12-foot travel lanes and 8-foot shoulders. The roadway pavement will be reconstructed as necessary to accommodate the new slightly taller bridge. The roadway will be closed and through traffic detoured onto Highway 31/29 in Alabama and onto Highway 4 in Florida.
