Deputies Search For Clues After Attempted Home Invasion At Deputy’s House
April 30, 2011
An early morning manhunt turned up empty along the Alabama/Florida state line after an attempted home invasion at the residence of a law enforcement officer.
The wife of an Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department deputy was at home with a toddler while her husband was at work when someone tried to enter their home in the 500 block of Pineville Road in Nokomis, Ala., just a few hundred yards north of the Alabama/Florida state line. There were no injuries in the incident just after 4 a.m.
She was able to describe the suspect only as a tall, slender, possibly white male wearing dark clothing. She was unable to provide a more detailed description. Law enforcement officers from Alabama and Florida surrounded the area, and a K-9 unit attempted to track the suspect. The search was called off just before 7 a.m.
Anyone in the area with information on the suspect or that sees anything suspicious is asked to call tje Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department at (251) 368-4779 or (251) 867-0304, or call their local law enforcement agency.
This was the second manhunt for a home invasion suspect in that area in less than a month. In early April, deputies from the Escambia County (Ala) Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglary in progress call in the 600 block of Pineville Road in Nokomis, Alabama, just yards from Saturday morning’s incident. A woman told deputies she returned to her home to find a burglar inside. The suspect fled through the front door of the home as the woman entered from the rear. A manhunt for that suspect, described only as a while male, turned up empty.
Pictured top: A K-9 Unit from Fountain Correctional Facility took part in a early morning manhunt in Nokomis. Pictured inset: Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s investigators dust for fingerprints on the backdoor of the deputy’s home. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Girl, 7, Drowns While Swimming With Friends
April 30, 2011
The Escambia County Sheriff’s dive team located the body of a 7-year-old female in Bayou Grande near Fairfield Drive Friday afternoon. The victim drowned while swimming with friends, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The body was discovered shortly after 4 p.m. in the area where witnesses said she was last seen.
At around 1 p.m., the victim and two other friends were swimming in the bayou near a beach located at the dead end of South Fairfield Drive.
“The group was caught in tidal currents,” said sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Chris Welborn. “An 18-year-old male, who was watching the other two, heroically pulled one to safety but was unable to save the other.”
The victim was swept away and drowned in an area approximately fifty yards away from shore, where her body was later located.
The Sheriff’s Office was notified of the drowning at 1:04 p.m. and responded along with Escambia County Fire and EMS, Escambia Search and Rescue, Florida Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Office of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Sheriff’s Office will not release the victim’s identity until all of her family has been notified.
Jay Girls Set Record At State Track Meet
April 30, 2011
The Jay High School girls track team placed tenth in the 4×800 relay Friday in Winter Park.
Their time of 10:03:55 was a new school record, breaking the record of 10:12:00 set by the team a few weeks ago. Split times were Jessica Thornton 2:35, Caristyn Golden 2:32, Leely Trevino 2:28, and Robin Blackman 2:26. The split times were personal records for each of the girls.
Pictured: The Lady Royals’ 4×800 relay team Caristyn Golden, Robin Blackman, Leely Trevino and Jessica Thornton. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pen Air FCU Aids In Tornado Relief Effort
April 30, 2011
In response to the recent and devastating events that shook Alabama and other surrounding states, Pen Air federal Credit Union will be donating supplies to areas in Alabama that are in need.
Pen Air FCU President and CEO Ron Fields will be personally driving the first round of supplies collected – 1,200 bottles of water and 100 packs of baby wipes – to the areas affected this weekend. These are the primary supplies requested by rescue workers. All Pen Air FCU locations including Century will collect donations for the tornado relief efforts, as well as become drop-off points for additional supplies, through the coming weeks.
In addition, Pen Air FCU is lending one of its two Mobile Service Centers for use in the Rainsville, Ala., area, so local residents will have access to funds.
“Pen Air is just trying to help out those who need it during this terrible time,” Fields said. “The spirit of Pen Air’s members and employees has always been one of community and this is no exception.”
Newspapers Compile List Of Alabama Tornado Casualties
April 30, 2011
The Birmingham News and Huntsville Times have complied an unofficial list of the dead and missing from Alabama’s tornadoes.
The unofficial and incomplete list was complied by newspaper reporters from media reports from across the state.
To view the list, click here.
Escambia County Road Prison Chief Jeff Bohannon Roasted
April 30, 2011
Escambia County Road Prison Division Manager Jeff Bohannon was “roasted” by employees and prisoners alike Friday afternoon as he retires from the facility after 14 years of service.
During his tenure, Bohannon was instrumental in the development and administration of an educational and rehabilitation program for the inmates.
The Escambia County Road Prison is the only county-operated work camp in Florida, providing a large part of the manual labor for the Roads and Bridges Division from an 80-acre compound in Cantonment. Supervised by correctional officers, road prison work crews perform various tasks for the county such as clearing rights-of-way, grounds maintenance, drainage projects, and other aspects of road and stormwater maintenance.
Pictured top: Escambia County Road Prison Division Manager Jeff Bohannon (pictured center in tan pants) was instrumental in providing the labor to clean up and restore the Old Molino Jail. Pictured inset: Jeff Bohannon. NorthEscambia.com and submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Pictured top: Jeff Bohannon
Obama Tours Alabama Destruction
April 29, 2011
President Obama joined Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and other officials in a sobering tour of the massive tornado damage in Tuscaloosa this afternoon.
“Michelle and I want to express, first of all, our deepest condolences to not just the city of Tuscaloosa but the state of Alabama and all the other states that have been affected by this unbelievable storm,” said Obama, adding that he had never seen devastation like that around him in Alabama.
“We were just talking to some residents here who were lucky enough to escape alive, but have lost everything. They mentioned that their neighbors had lost two of their grandchildren in the process,” he said.
There were stories like that not only all over town, but across the state and even the region, and the President praised the “resilience” of the people he had met even as they were surrounded by tragedy. He commended all the Alabama officials who have been working with the federal government and pledged that the work would continue well after the swarms of television cameras leave.
“We can’t bring those who have been lost back. They’re alongside God at this point. We can help maybe a little bit with the families dealing with the grief of having a loved one lost. But the property damage, which is obviously extensive, that’s something that we can do something about,” the president said.
“We asked for — we’ve mobilized the state. We declared a state of emergency early on, even before the first tornadoes hit, and then we mobilized our National Guard the first day. We then asked the President for aid and we asked him to expedite that, and they have done that,” Bentley said.
Bentley said the confirmed death toll in Alabama stood at 210 as of Friday afternoon, with 1,700 more people injured.
Pictured: President Barack Obama, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and other officials tour tornado damage in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Friday. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Local Man Dies In Single Vehicle Cantonment Crash
April 29, 2011
A 41-year old North Escambia man was killed in a single vehicle accident Thursday night in Cantonment.
Todd Creighton Wilson of Cantonment was pronounced dead at the scene of the 10:11 p.m. wreck near Porky’s Pizza, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Creighton veered northbound on Highway 95A from Highway 29 and lost control of his Ford F250 pickup truck and hit a guide wire for a utility pole before striking numerous trees and overturning into a wooded area.
The Cantonment and Ensley stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the accident.
Pictured: One person died in this single vehicle accident Thursday night in Cantonment. The vehicle came to rest in a wooded area (inset photo). NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Escambia Sheriff’s Office Employees Recognized
April 29, 2011
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held it s Quarterly Awards Ceremony Thursday.
Sheriff David Morgan awarded the ECSO Medal of Valor to Deputies Jeremy Cassady, Sam Parker, Chad Brown, Jimmy James and Melody Peterson for selfless acts in the face of great danger. Deputy Cassady was critically wounded in a Baywind Circle shooting October 29, 2010. Deputy Parker was hit in the chest, and Deputy Brown was hit in the arm. All three received the Purple Heart.
A deputy from the Century Precinct was among those awarded a Life Saving Medal. Click here for more.
Awards were presented as follows:
- Purple Hearts — Deputy Jeremy Cassady, Deputy Sam Parker, Deputy Chad Brown
- Medals of Valor Deputy — Jeremy Cassady, Deputy Sam Parker, Deputy Chad Brown, Deputy Melony Peterson, Master Deputy Jimmy James
- Medals of Courage — Lt. Jeremy Small, Sgt. Patrick Frazier, Deputy Zach McArthur, Deputy Jamison Janes. Deputy Darrell Webb, Deputy Kelly Hall
- Medal of Commendation — Sgt. Phebe Jo Henderson
- Detention Deputy of the Quarter — Detention Deputy Mitchell Stevens of the Quarter Detention Sgt Andrew Ordonia
- Detention Employee of the Quarter– Holly Bullion
- LEO Employee of the Quarter — Cynthia Joyner
- LEO of the Quarter — Deputy 1st Class Christian Coad
- Commendation Medal — Deputy 1st Class Kenneth Tolbirt
- Meritorious Service Medal — Det Deputy 1st Class Uzziah Allison, Det Sgt Richard Hardy, Sgt Rick Vinson
- Life Saving Medals — Senior Deputy Rudy Brown, Todd Dixon, Det. Deputy Audra Carter
- Unit Citation — Gang Unit
- Civilian Service Medal — Steven Gibbs, Shon Robinson, Amy Reed, The family of John Morris Jr.
Along with the awards presented by the ECSO, recipients also received certificates of special congressional recognition from Congressman Jeff Miller.
Hundreds Learn More About Plans For Jay Hospital
April 29, 2011
Baptist Healthcare and Naples-based Health Management Associates want to form a new partnership involving Jay Hospital and the Santa Rosa County Medical Center in Milton — and that has the hundreds of people upset in Jay.
About 250 Jay area residents packed a community meeting Thursday night to learn more about the proposal from town and county leaders and members of the Jay Hospital advisory board.
Jay doctor David Smith Said Baptist and HMA want to strike the term “non-profit” from their 99-year lease with Santa Rosa County, perhaps leading to a reduction in services at the 55-bed Jay Hospital — a reduction that could include the elimination of in-patient care and the emergency room.
Smith said that, in the lease, Baptist agreed to keep a “not for profit run general hospital in Jay”, and the spirit of the lease would be broken by reducing services or partnering with the for-profit HMA.
According to Santa Rosa County Commissioner Don Salter (pictured left), Baptist and HMA are attempting to form a new company that will share management of Jay Hospital and Santa Rosa County Medical Center. HMA would own a controlling 68 percent interest, he said.
“They’ve (Baptist and HMA) have got the word that people up here are not happy with what is going on,” Salter said. He said he wants to see Baptist try again to reach an agreement with the Jay Hospital advisory board. If not, Salter said he wants to rebid the entire lease because, even as a non-profit, Baptist has not shown a very good example of caring about the Jay area.
Smith said that if Baptist does seek to offer another party a lease on Jay Hospital, the advisory board wants 90 days to evaluate it and “help select our new managing partner”.
“Jay Hospital has options,” Smith (pictured left) said, adding that since news of possible changes at the hospital became public, he has talked to groups that might be billing to turn the hospital that might turn it into a teaching facility, a medical school hospital and more. “”Whoever we partner with, we want it to be a win-win. We want it to be good for our partner, and we don’t want anybody that don’t want us.”
In the meantime, community leaders are speaking out in favor of Jay Hospital.
“This hospital is vital. It’s an important part of this community,” Qualls said. “We as a town council are going to do whatever it takes to make sure that hospital stays in this town. We will fight as long as there is a fight to be have.”
“Flomaton stands behind what Dr. Smith is trying to do,” Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant said. “You would be surprised if you knew how many people from Flomaton and Century come over here…We are one. We are united. With are with y’all.”
Don Ripley, administrator of Century Care Center, said his nursing facility relies on Jay Hospital to provide quality medical care close by. “We will do anything we can do to help you keep it in Jay where it should be,” he said.
Jay Hospital is the town’s largest employer with 160 employees, a $5 million annual payroll and about $2 million per year in charity care.
Pictured: About 250 people attended a community meeting Thursday night in favor of Jay Hospital. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
