Fireman Facing Criminal Charges For Abandoning Rescued Dogs, Theft, Obstructing Justice
August 27, 2010
An Escambia County volunteer firefighter may be facing criminal charges for allegedly abandoning three dogs that were reported to be “rescued” by the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue last Sunday.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has submitted an arrest warrant for judicial review charging the firefighter with a felony count of grand theft, and misdemeanor charges of abandonment of animals and obstruction of justice. As a matter of policy, NorthEscambia.com generally does not identify suspects until they are formally charged by a judge signing the arrest warrant.
The Century Station of Escambia-Rescue responded to a reported motor vehicle accident Sunday on North Century Boulevard just south of Tedder Road. They discovered that there was no accident; rather, a motorist had stopped after seeing the three dogs nearly in the road. Both the fire department and the Sheriff’s Office requested that Escambia County Animal Control respond, but the agency refused stating that it did not meet their call-out criteria.
Rather than leave the dogs beside the road, they were taken back to the Century firehouse as firefighters worked to determine what to do with the canines. According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office incident report, the suspect said, “Put them in my truck. I have a pen at my house”.
A Century Volunteer Fire Department officer emailed NorthEscambia.com Sunday night, providing photographs of the dogs and asking for help in find the dogs’ owner. NorthEscambia.com published that story Monday morning.
After the article was published on NorthEscambia.com, the dogs’ owner contacted the fire department. According to the ECSO, the owner confronted the suspected firemen at the Century fire station Tuesday evening and asked the whereabouts of his dogs. The suspect, according to the incident report, “refused to respond and acted like he didn’t know what (the victim) was talking about”.
On Wednesday, the dogs’ owner went to the suspect’s residence on Highway 4A and spoke with the suspect’s father. The father was helpful but said that he did not see the dogs or know where his son had put them, the victim told deputies.
The suspect told a fire department officer that he had found a good home for the dogs in Walnut Hill, and the officer contact NorthEscambia.com with the information. Based on that information from the fire department, a followup story was published by NorthEscambia.com on Thursday, reporting that a home had been found for the dogs.
On Thursday, deputies met with both the suspect and his father. The suspect told deputies, according to their report, that he had given the dogs to a man he met. The suspect told a deputy that he did not know how to contact the man and that the deputy should call his friend. The friend told the deputy by phone that “he did not want to be involved and that he was not going to tell a lie to keep (the suspect) out of trouble”. He said the suspect contacted him Sunday night and “asked him to cover for him if asked the whereabouts of the missing dogs”. The friend told the deputy that the suspect told him that he took the dogs and dropped them off at the intersection of North Pine Barren Road and Highway 168.
When contacted by phone, the deputy said the suspect admitted to putting the dogs out of his vehicle on Pine Barren Road on Wednesday. About 30 minutes later, the deputy called the suspect again to advise him that he was going to face charges over the dogs. “He advised me that he didn’t kill them or sell them and that he put them out on Sunday,” Deputy David Bashore wrote in his report.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Pictured top: These cellphone photos show three dogs found early Sunday evening on North Century Boulevard just south of Tedder Road. The firefighter partially in the photograph is not the firefighter suspect in the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigation into the disappearance of the dogs. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
‘Canes Open Season With 35-0 Win Over W.S. Neal
August 27, 2010
The Flomaton Hurricanes won their season opener at home Thursday night, shutting out the W.S. Neal Eagles 35-0.
The Canes took an early 7-0 lead when Ryheem Dixon fought his way through a crowd of defenders into the end zone. On the next play of the game, Dixon handed off to Neiko Robinson who was in for another touchdown. A good point after, the Hurricanes had 14-0 lead heading into the second quarter.
The second brought another Cane’s touchdown. The point after attempt failed, and Flomaton held a 20-0 lead at the half. The Cane’s struck again in the third with a touchdown and a two point conversion to expand their lead to 28-0. But the Hurricanes were not done, adding another touchdown in the fourth to seal the 35-0 win.
The Hurricanes racked up over 300 yards against the Eagles, with only about 50 yards in the air.
Flomaton will be on the road next week against South Choctaw.
Century Correctional Institution Donates School Supplies To Byrneville Elementary
August 27, 2010
The Century Correctional Institution donated a large amount of school supplies to Byrneville Elementary School, just in time for the first week of school. Century CI holds the school supply drive each year, with employees generously donating to the children of the community. Pictured above: Carrie Bryan, Officer Lyons, Grace Gray, Officer Sheffield, Warden Halley and Officer White. Pictured below: Byrneville Elementary School Principal Dee Wolfe Sullivan, Carrie Byan and Michele Edwards. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
School Board Lobbys For Amendment 8, Against Strict Class Size Law
August 27, 2010
Public schools throughout Florida started the first day of school Monday under a law that will only permit so many students in an individual classroom, while the Escambia County School Board held a special workshop at Northview High School to push for a change.
Lawmakers and school administrators are pushing a proposed constitutional amendment that would relax the class size requirement put into the constitution by voters in 2002. As of Monday, individual classes were capped at 18 students for kindergarten through third grade, 22 in fourth through eighth grade, and 25 in high school, with the limits having been phased in since the amendment was passed.
The proposed amendment on the November ballot would allow class sizes to be calculated in a more lenient fashion. If passed, the class size would be calculated at a grade-level average, not an individual classroom cap, allowing some classes to go above the limit.
“Please, please help us by getting the word out that Amendment 8 is a yes; please help us help the students,” District 5 School Board Member Bill Slayton (pictured right) said Thursday during the board workshop at Northview High.
The school district is facing several financial “pressure points”, according to Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, for the upcoming the 2011-2012 school year. Coupled with declining property values made worse by the oil spill’s impact on coastal property and the class size amendment, the district will no longer receive federal stimulus dollars — which currently funds $13 million in teachers’ salaries.
“The last pressure point is class size,” Thomas said. The district has added 489 teachers and spent about $26.4 million for their salaries despite 3,200 fewer students since the class size regulations went into effect in 2003-2004. For the current school year, Escambia County added 49 teachers, spent $2.9 million and put another $1 million in reserve to ensure class size compliance.
The change has been felt by students in other ways — smaller classes have been eliminated with students taking courses online, part-time teachers have hired, multi-level classes have been combined into one, some teachers are paid to work through their planning periods and class choices have been reduced.
“We are not going against the will of the people of Northwest Florida,” Slayton said, adding that local voters were against the original amendment that he described as a way for south Florida schools to reduced class size at the expense of the state.
“I don’t like it, but it is the law,” said Board Member Jeff Bergosh. “We’ve got to hope the voters will pass the amendment.”
Board Member Linda Moutrie agreed, saying that people should get out and vote “yes” on Amendment 8. “That’s what you can do for your community,” she said.
Administrators across the state say the hard caps are too cumbersome and allow for no flexibility. They say they fear schools will either be in violation of the law or face financial consequences if all of their classrooms are at maximum capacity and a new student moves into the district. They also say that with the economic downturn, schools just can’t afford to implement the class size requirement as originally envisioned.
The Florida Education Association has filed a lawsuit to toss the proposal from the November ballot, arguing that it is misleading. Arguments in circuit court are slated for September 8. If the court rules in favor of the FEA, it is likely that the state could appeal immediately to the Florida Supreme Court for final judgment. Until then, the group is mounting a public campaign against the amendment.
Pictured top: Escambia School Board members (L-R) Gerald Boone, Patty Hightower and Linda Moultrie and School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas listen to an audience member Thursday evening during a board workshop at Northview High School. Pictured top inset: Board Member Jeff Bergosh, left, listens as Bill Slayton asks for support for Amendment 8. Pictured bottom inset: Century resident Lina Showalter addresses the board. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview His The Volleyball Court In Preseason Classic
August 27, 2010
The Northview High School varsity volleyball teamed hit the court Thursday afternoon for a Preseason Classic game against Escambia and Walton.
Walton High defeated the Chiefs 26-24, 25-22. The Chiefs also fell to Escambia High School, 26-24, 25-18.
The Lady Chiefs open their regular season on the road Monday at Catholic High School. The Chief’s first home games will not be until September 23 against Freeport.
Team members are as follows:
Varsity
Trestine Dean
Ashley Digmon
Misty Doran
Josie Doucette
Ashton Gibbs
Kara Hardin
Sarah Killam
Shawna Montgomery
Morgan Payne
Raylin Spence
Katie Wieborg
JV
Madison Arrington
Alison Bardin
Lana Clayton
Hannah Fiellin
Rebecca Grim
Paeton Hadley
Ali Martin
Rebecca Masaitis
Shelby Nielson
Tiffani Pritchett
Taylor Roberson
Danielle Steadham
Mallory Wiggins
Lily Townson (Manager)
Execution Style Shooting Was Escambia’s 16th
August 26, 2010
An execution-style shooting Wednesday night was the 16th homicide in Escambia County this year.
Matthew W. Suarez, 23 was shot as he sat in the driver’s seat of his car in father’s driveway, according to Sgt. Ted Roy, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to 812 South Madison Drive about 8:36 Wednesday night. Upon arrival, deputies observed Suarez lying on the ground next to a white Chevrolet Impala, Roy said. Suarez was pronounced dead a short time later.
“According to witnesses, what is believed to be a black male walked up to the victim and knocked on the driver’s door of the Impala that the victim was sitting in. As the victim rolled the window down, the suspect pulled out an unknown type handgun and shot the victim as he sat in the driver’s seat,” Roy said. “Investigators believe that this execution type murder may be drug related.”
Anyone with information on the murder is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
South Madison Drive is located behind Walmart on Mobile Highway.
Deputies: McDavid Man Sold Gun To 16-Year Old For $40 In Marijuana
August 26, 2010
A McDavid man was charged with selling a handgun that shot out a deputy’s tire to a 16-year old that paid with a $40 bag of marijuana.
David Dewayne Simmons, 49, was arrested on felony warrants for selling a firearm to a minor and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office believes Simmons (pictured left) sold a .22 caliber handgun to Ladarrious Tamiraye Lett. 16, of Ivey Street, Century. Lett has been charged as an adult with possession of a firearm by a convicted delinquent under 24 years of age, tampering with evidence and culpable negligence after the gun eventually fired into the tire of an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office cruiser.
The incident began at 3:23 a.m. on July 13 when Deputy Scott Rivkin conducted a traffic stop on a black Eagle Talon with no headlights near North Century Boulevard and Henry Streets. The driver of the vehicle was given a warning for failing to use his headlights. Lett was reportedly the passenger in the vehicle. Both left the area.
About five minutes later, Rivkin was traveling on North Century Boulevard in the same area as the traffic stop when when he heard what he believed to be a gunshot. Upon investigation, he discovered a .22 caliber pistol in the middle of North Century Boulevard. When the right rear wheel of the deputy’s cruiser rolled over the weapon, it had fired a round, flattening the tire. Next to the revolver, the deputy discovered one empty shell casing and five live rounds of ammunition.
While Deputy Rivkin was still parked on North Century Boulevard, he noticed the driver from the previous traffic stop and Lett approaching him on foot. The two were separated and questioned as the Flomaton Police Department responded for backup.
The driver told authorities that Lett (pictured left) had dropped the gun out of the vehicle’s window just prior to the traffic stop and that the pair had returned to the area to retrieve the gun. The 16-year old told deputies that he had purchased the gun from an individual. Lett admitted to dropping the gun out of the vehicle window, according to his arrest report.
When Lett was arrested July 13, he provided deputies with a bill of sale with Simmons’ signature, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Lett told deputies he paid $40 for the gun, and he picked Simmons out of a photo lineup.
On August 4, Simmons was interviewed at the Century Sheriff’s Office substation. He admitted selling the handgun to Lett for a $40 bag of marijuana, according to the arrest report. Simmons also told deputies that he had a 16 gauge shotgun and ammunition at his residence. The home in the 400 block of Railroad Street, McDavid, was searched, and deputies seized a 16 gauge shotgun, 150 live .22 caliber shells and one 16 gauge live shotgun shell from the kitchen area of the home.
Lett was originally charged as a juvenile in connection with the July 14 incident, but he is now being tried as an adult in Escambia County Circuit Court.
Tate Band Reunion Scheduled
August 26, 2010
The J.M. Tate High School Band Reunion will be held October 22-23 for band and color guard members from 1971-1987.
Friday night’s events will begin at 5:30 at the Tate High cafeteria and football stadium. There will be a hamburger or hot dog meal provided by the Tate Band Boosters, followed by the football game. The cost for Friday night is $5 for the meal and $5 admission to the game, per person.
Saturday night’s events will be in the Tate gym. There will be a catered meal and a program to include guests from the past and entertainment. The cost for Saturday night is $40 per couple or $20 for each individual.
Reservations and checks should be mailed to: Tate High Band Reunion, P O Box 565, Cantonment, FL 32533. For more information, email amcmahan64@aol.com or visit the event’s Facebook page by clicking here.
All proceeds after expenses will be donated to the Tate High Band Boosters.
Jay Mayor Confident In One Vote Win After Election Results Change
August 26, 2010
Every vote counts. Jay Mayor Kurvin Qualls is a firm believer in that adage after winning re-election by just a single vote.
Numbers from the Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections Office Tuesday night first showed that political newcomer Ben Hudson had won the election with 71 votes to Qualls’ 70 votes. But shortly before midnight, elections officials tabulated votes from Jay’s touchscreen voting machine. The touchscreen votes were delayed in arriving at the elections office in Milton.
Two votes were cast on the touchscreen machine — both for Qualls, giving him a 72-71 victory over Hudson.
“I am very confident in the results from the Supervisor of Elections,” Qualls said Wednesday. “Everything was on the up and up.”
Under Florida Law, if the margin between the two candidates had been 0.05 percent, an automatic recount would have been triggered. But the one vote difference between Qualls and Hudson amounted to a 0.7 percent margin. According to the Supervisor of Elections Office, there will be no recount unless Hudson files suit in Circuit Court.
Confident in his victory, Qualls said he is making plans to continue to improve Jay.
“There are great things going on in Jay, and we are going to keep it going,” he said. “There are exciting things about to happen in the near future, and there are great opportunities in front of us.”
Attempts to contact Hudson for comment on this story were unsuccessful.
Woman Dies Two Weeks After Crash; Daughter Thankful Gift Of Extra Time
August 26, 2010
An elderly woman has passed away following a Flomaton traffic crash, and her daughter is thanking emergency workers and good Samaritans for giving her two weeks with her mother.
Sallie Howington, 89, died as a result of injuries she received in a traffic crash August 7 on Highway 31 at Holt Street.
“To all those that assisted with the accident, thank you for saving my momma’s life,” Howington’s daughter Cathy Green said. “I got to spend extra weeks with momma.”
“To Cassie Newton, thank you for calling 911 immediately. It was comforting to know that paramedics arrived so quickly,” Green said. Newton witnessed the accident and summoned help
Flomaton Fire Department member Jason Bondurant was the first emergency worker on scene. He found Howington not breathing and without a pulse. Nearby, Jeremy Morris, an EMT and paramedic with Defuniak Springs’ Air Heart helicopter was at a home in the Holt Subdivision and heard the crash. He rushed to the scene and cleared Howington’s airway. Morris, who is a volunteer with the Pineview (Ala.) Volunteer Fire Department,maintained the airway for about seven minutes until an ambulance arrived. Howington was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital by LifeFlight.
“So many people worked so hard, and I thank them so much,” Green said. “I appreciate the time they gave us by saving her life.”
Howington was the driver of a pickup truck that witnesses said turned in front of an SUV on Highway 31 at Holt Street just after 4 p.m. on August 7. The adult driver of the SUV, Terri Marie Parker, 49, of Jay and two children, ages four and 10, were transported by ambulance to an area hospital.
The Flomaton Fire Department, the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Ambulance and Escambia County EMS also responded to the call.
Pictured above: Four people were injured in this crash August 7 in Flomaton. Sallie Howington, the driver of the pickup, passed away about two weeks later. Pictured below: Sallie Howington was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital in critical condition. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
