Two Arrested After Gang-Related Drive-by Shooting
December 2, 2010
A drive-by shooting in Escambia County led to the arrest of two gang members by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Gang Unit.
Tuesday afternoon, deputies responded to a reported shooting in the area of Olive Road and Tippin Avenue. According to witnesses a blue Lincoln was seen driving through the area while the passenger fired several shots out the window. No one was injured as a result of the incident.
Deputies assigned to the Gang Unit were in the area and responded to assist patrol deputies looking for the suspect vehicle. As they drove through the intersection of Fairfield Drive and Davis Highway, they observed the suspect vehicle parked at a convenience store near that intersection.
During the investigation the deputies identified the vehicles occupants as Jason Joseph Dill, 30, of Pensacola, and Joshua Edwin Diggins, 25. Diggins is originally from New Orleans but currently has a Pensacola address.
Both Dill and Diggins were identified as members of the Gangster Disciples. The Gangster Disciples is a nationwide gang that was originally formed on the South-side of Chicago in the late 1960’s. They are known for criminal activity such as drug trafficking, robbery, extortion and murder.
Deputies arrested Dill and Diggins charging them with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Diggins was also charged with resisting arrest without violence. They were booked into the Escambia County Jail and held with no bond.
Deputies seized the vehicle and a 9mm handgun.
Florida Hunters Could Be Required To Report Every Deer Harvested
December 2, 2010
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is considering new rule proposals requiring all hunters to tag harvested white-tailed deer and report the harvest to the FWC.
However, the commissioners directed staff to provide a menu of options regarding exempt hunters, showing how those hunters would report their harvest. Exempt hunters include individuals 65 and older and 16 and under.
Tagging and reporting game harvests is commonly done in many states, and FWC staff reviewed several other states’ harvest-reporting systems to see what might work well in Florida, according to a FWC news release The agency is seeking to craft a system where hunters would report their harvested deer, to better track where and how many deer are harvested in Florida.
FWC staff presented a draft proposal at five public meetings across the state and gathered input and feedback through an online poll.
The proposed harvest-reporting system would utilize a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week telephone and Internet system, and tags to attach to harvested deer.
Some of the information hunters would have to report includes their customer number, date of harvest, county, method of take, hunting with or without dogs, type of deer (antlered buck, button buck or doe) and number of antler points on bucks. All compiled statewide harvest data would be available to the public online and updated daily, but would not include hunters’ personal information.
“We want to make this system as friendly as possible for Florida’s hunters,” said Cory Morea, FWC biologist and deer management program coordinator. “We need the data to give Florida hunters what many of them have asked for – that is better management of the state’s deer herd, and at a more local level. This will give us one of the tools to enable us to do that.”
The new rules could be approved for final adoption at the February 2011 Commission meeting and would become effective July 1, 2011, and apply to the 2011-12 hunting season.
For more detailed information on the proposed harvest-reporting system, go to MyFWC.com/Deer.
FHP Plans Checkpoints
December 2, 2010
The Florida Highway Patrol has announced locations for driver’s license and vehicle checkpoints during the month of December in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
In Escambia County, FHP checkpoints will be held during December at the following locations:
- Guidy Lane north of Nine Mile Road
- Avery Street west of “W” Street
- Patton Drive north of Gulf Beach Highway
- Johnson Avenue east of Davis Highway
In Santa Rosa County, checkpoints will be held:
- Quintette Road west of County Road 197
- County Road 197 north of Guernsey Road
- Nicholes Lake Road east of State Road 87
- Da-Lisa Road east of Galt City Road
Pushin’ The Limits Walk To Benefit Nadine McCaw
December 2, 2010
A “Pushin’ the Limits” walk will be held Sunday to benefit cancer patient Nadine McCaw.
The walk will begin at 2 p.m. at the Food Giant in Century and be from the northern to the southern city limits in Century, a distance of about three miles. Registration is $20, with advance registrants receiving a t-shirt.
To register, click here for a registration form to return to the Century Branch Library, or visit the library for a registration form by Saturday.
Registrations will also be accepted until 1:30 Sunday at the Century Ag Building on West Highway 4. Transportation will be provided from the Ag Building to the start of the walk. Late registrations will also receive a t-shirt, but their shirts may be delayed until next week.
Disturbance, Kidnapping And Wreck Lead To Manhunt For Local Man
December 1, 2010
Escambia County deputies are looking for a local man accused of battery, kidnapping and theft after and early morning disturbance with his former girlfriend.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for Brandon Ryan Switzer, 32, of Pensacola. According to Escambia County court records, Switzer recently resided at an address on Littleton Street in Cantonment.
Around 7:41 Wednesday morning, deputies responded to a reported kidnapping in the 300 block of Wiggins Lane in Pensacola, and a manhunt for Switzer followed.
Deputies were told by Switzer’s former girlfriend, Stacey Lee Markle, 24, of Pensacola, that she and Switzer were engaged in an argument. When Markle attempted to leave, Switzer allegedly grabbed her by the neck and pulled her away from their vehicle. Switzer then grabbed a five month old baby from Markle’s arms, throwing the infant into the back seat of a Saturn car.
When Markle attempted to get into the vehicle she says she was grabbed and thrown to the ground by Switzer. Switzer then drove off in the red Saturn with the five month old still in the backseat, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Switzer crashed the Saturn into a tree in the dead end of Jean Street, located near the intersection of Legair Street. When deputies found the vehicle it wasn’t occupied. A witness to the crash approached deputies and told them that Switzer, who was said to be bleeding from the head, approached her and handed her the infant. Switzer then walked into the woods, according to the witness. The infant was not injured.
Deputies and the Sheriff’s K-9 unit began an extensive search for Switzer but were unable to locate him. He was last seen wearing a white “hoodie” and tan jacket. He should also have an abrasion or laceration to the head.
Switzer faces charges of battery, kidnapping and theft. Child endangerment charges are being filed by the Florida Highway Patrol in connection with the crash.
Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Switzer is being asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Ernest Ward Reschedules Event, Will Excuse Absences For Playoff Game
December 1, 2010
Ernest Ward Middle School has rescheduled a planned beauty pageant and announced that absences will be excused due Friday due to Northview High School’s playoff football game in Jacksonville.
The Mister Mister Beauty Pageant scheduled for Friday night has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 14.
Ernest Ward students that have a verifiable absence Friday to attend the Northview playoff game will be excused, according to Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry.
Auburn QB Cam Newton Cleared By NCAA, Can Play Saturday
December 1, 2010
Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is eligible to play in the SEC title game this weekend, but the NCAA says Newton’s father did break rules when he shopped his son.
The NCAA released the following statement this afternoon:
Auburn University football student-athlete Cam Newton is immediately eligible to compete, according to a decision today by the NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff. The NCAA concluded on Monday that a violation of amateurism rules occurred, therefore Auburn University declared the student-athlete ineligible yesterday for violations of NCAA amateurism rules.
When a school discovers an NCAA rules violation has occurred, it must declare the student-athlete ineligible and may request the student-athlete’s eligibility be reinstated. Reinstatement decisions are made by the NCAA national office staff and can include conditions such as withholding from competition and repayment of extra benefits. Newton was reinstated without any conditions.
According to facts of the case agreed upon by Auburn University and the NCAA enforcement staff, the student-athlete’s father and an owner of a scouting service worked together to actively market the student-athlete as a part of a pay-for-play scenario in return for Newton’s commitment to attend college and play football. NCAA rules (Bylaw 12.3.3) do not allow individuals or entities to represent a prospective student-athlete for compensation to a school for an athletic scholarship.
In conjunction with the case, Auburn University has limited the access Newton’s father has to the athletics program and Mississippi State has disassociated the involved individual.
“The conduct of Cam Newton’s father and the involved individual is unacceptable and has no place in the SEC or in intercollegiate athletics,” said Mike Slive, Southeastern Conference Commissioner. “The actions taken by Auburn University and Mississippi State University make it clear this behavior will not be tolerated in the SEC.”
“Our members have established rules for a fair and equal recruitment of student-athletes, as well as to promote integrity in the recruiting process,” said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for academic and membership affairs. “In determining how a violation impacts a student-athlete’s eligibility, we must consider the young person’s responsibility. Based on the information available to the reinstatement staff at this time, we do not have sufficient evidence that Cam Newton or anyone from Auburn was aware of this activity, which led to his reinstatement. From a student-athlete reinstatement perspective, Auburn University met its obligation under NCAA bylaw 14.11.1. Under this threshold, the student-athlete has not participated while ineligible.”
“We are pleased that the NCAA has agreed with our position that Cam Newton has been and continues to be eligible to play football at Auburn University,” Auburn University Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs said. “We appreciate the diligence and professionalism of the NCAA and its handling of this matter. “
During the reinstatement process, NCAA staff review each case on its own merits based on the specific facts. Staff decisions are made based on a number of factors including guidelines established by the Division I NCAA Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, as well as any mitigating factors presented by the university.
Reinstatement decisions are independent of the NCAA enforcement process and typically are made once the facts of the student-athlete’s involvement are determined. The reinstatement process is likely to conclude prior to the close of an investigation. It is NCAA policy not to comment on current, pending or potential investigations.
Names Released Of Women Found Dead In Woods
December 1, 2010
The names have been released of two women discovered murdered in a wooded area of Escambia County.
Wednesday morning investigators identified the women as Debra Ann Jones, 19, and Jamie Broxson (pictured top left), 25.
According to Escambia County Circuit Court records, Broxson was released from the Escambia County Jail last week after being sentenced to probation on possession of drug paraphernalia and trespassing charges.
Jones (pictured bottom left) was arrested November 8 for DUI property damage and driving a motorcycle without a license. She was due to appear in court November 29, but she was not present.
Both bodies were found Monday in a wooded lot near a Gulf Power substation. The Sheriff’s Office was contacted by Gulf Power security personnel around 12:22 pm, shortly after another Gulf Power employee reported finding human remains near the substation.
Sheriff’s investigators and crime scene technicians were immediately dispatched and spent several hours processing the scene for possible evidence. During this time, another body was located by investigators.
Based upon the condition of the bodies it is believed that one has been in the lot for seven to 10 days, the other 72 hours or less, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Details concerning the specific cause of death will not be released, until determined by the Medical Examiner. Investigators, however, suspect foul play.
On Tuesday morning Sheriff’s investigators and members of the Escambia Search and Rescue Team (ESAR) searched the wooded area with cadaver dogs. These specially trained dogs are trained in detecting the odor of decomposing bodies. As of Tuesday afternoon no other remains had been located.
Further details have not been released.
Pictured top left: Jamie Broxson. Pictured bottom left: Debra Ann Jones.
Lower Electric Bills For EREC, Gulf Power
December 1, 2010
A little good news for Escambia River Electric Cooperative and Gulf Power customers — electric bills are on the way down.
Over the past year, the “purchased power cost adjustment” for EREC customers has decreased $36 on an average bill of 1,000 kilowatt hours. EREC said the lower power cost adjustment is due to lower fuel costs being passed along to end users.
“
When we benefit from lower energy costs, we will pass that benefit along to you as a valued member of EREC,” the company said in a news release.
Beginning January 2011, the typical Gulf Power Company residential customer will see a 2.8 percent decrease on their electricity bill as compared to January 2010, according to the company.
Gulf Power said the decrease is primarily driven by a lower cost of fuel the utility uses to produce electricity. By strategically monitoring its generation fuel mix to use the most cost-effective generation available, the company was able to lower residential electricity prices for 2011.
“The bottom line is that fuel prices have come down and we’re passing that savings along,” said Jeff Roger, spokesman for Gulf Power. “It’s a drop that will directly benefit our customers.”
Late Night Fire Destroys Cottage Hill Mobile Home (With Photo Gallery)
December 1, 2010
Several Cottage Hill community residents were left homeless by a fire that destroyed their mobile home late Tuesday night.
The blaze was reported about 11:10 p.m. at the double wide mobile home in the area of McKenzie Road and Eastman Lane. The fire was reported to be out by about midnight; the home was a total loss. All occupants of the mobile home were reported to have escaped without injury.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Cantonment, Molino, McDavid, Ensley and Beulah stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze.
For more photos from the fire, including the aftermath, click here.
Pictured: Fire destroyed this Cottage Hill mobile home late Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
