Driver Arrested For Fatal 2025 Cantonment DUI Crash Had Previous Local DUI Conviction
May 30, 2026
The woman arrested Friday for a fiery 2025 DUI crash in Cantonment was previously convicted of DUI in Escambia County.
Kelcey Alexis Eyl, 29, surrendered Friday on outstanding Florida Highway Patrol warrants for DUI manslaughter and two counts of DUI with serious bodily injury. She remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
RELATED:Woman Charged With DUI Manslaughter For Fiery 2025 Fatal Highway 29 Collision
The two-vehicle crash occurred shortly after 8 p.m. on October 11, 2025, on Highway 29 south of the paper mill, near Woodbury Circle. The crash claimed the life of her passenger, a 30-year-old Cantonment man, after the high-speed collision ripped her car apart before it burst into flames, according to FHP. The occupants of the vehicle she hit, a Flomaton man and woman in their 70s, were seriously injured.
According to court records, Eyl was convicted of DUI and leaving the scene of a May 2018 crash on Beverly Parkway at Highway 29. She was convicted on both counts and sentenced to 12 months of probation and 50 hours of community service. Her driver’s license was revoked for six months.
Pictured: Kelcey Alexis Eyl is charged with this October 11, 2025, fatal crash in Cantonment, and she was convicted of a May 2018 DUI. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Northview Baseball Holds Youth Camp
May 30, 2026
Northview Chiefs baseball held their youth camp on Thursday and Friday.
For two mornings, aspiring players in grades 6-8 worked on their skills, learned the game, and enjoyed pizza with Northview players and coaches.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Samantha Welford Name Jim Allen Elementary PTA Volunteer Of The Year
May 30, 2026
Samantha Welford was named the Jim Allen Elementary School PTA Volunteer of the Year for her dedication to the students and teachers at Jim Allen. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Even Birmingham Series With 3-2 Win
May 30, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos edged out the Birmingham Barons by a final score of 3-2 to even the series on Friday night.
Birmingham scored first when a leadoff double from Samuel Zavala would come around to score on a sacrifice fly from reigning Southern League Player of the Week Alec Makarewicz, making it a 1-0 lead in the first inning. That lead would grow in the 3rd without the benefit of a hit. Zavala would draw a leadoff walk which would be followed by a 2-out hit by pitch to Anthony DePino and walk to Calvin Harris to load the bases. Pensacola starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr would surrender his fourth free pass of the inning to Jeral Perez, walking in a run and making the score 2-0.
Ortiz-Mayr would work himself out of the jam, however, and give his offense a chance to get back in the game. And the offense would do just that. Ian Lewis Jr. and Garret Forrester would lead off the 5th inning with back-to-back walks before Jay Beshears would send a ball into the right field corner, scoring both runners with a game tying 2-run double. Ortiz-Mayr would work around a leadoff double in the bottom half of the inning, finishing his day off with 5.0 complete innings for his second straight start.
Jacob Heatherly (L, 0-1) would be the first out of the bullpen for the Barons to start the 6th inning. And, though he would pitch a clean 6th, he would get pulled after Forester and Beshears would both reach with one out in the 7th. Jackson Kelly would enter to face Emaarion Boyd, who would drop a bunt down the third baseline. Kelly would field it and fire the ball past the first baseman and into right field, scoring Forrester from second and giving the Wahoos a 3-2 lead.
Mason Vinyard (W, 3-1) would earn the win for Pensacola pitching a near flawless 2.2 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk. He would hand the ball to veteran Luis Palacios (S, 2), who would get the final 4 outs to earn his second save of the season and secure the victory.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Saturday evening.
written by Charlie Hobert
Woman Charged With DUI Manslaughter For Fiery 2025 Fatal Highway 29 Collision
May 29, 2026
A woman has been arrested for a 2025 crash that took the life of a Cantonment man and seriously injured two Flomaton residents.
Kelcey Alexis Eyl, 29, surrendered Friday on outstanding Florida Highway Patrol warrants for DUI manslaughter and two counts of DUI with serious bodily injury.
The two-vehicle crash occurred shortly after 8 p.m. on October 11, 2025, on Highway 29 south of the paper mill, near Woodbury Circle, and involved a Chevrolet Equinox SUV and a passenger car.
According to FHP, a car driven by Eyl was traveling southbound on Highway 29 at a high rate of speed when the vehicle crossed over the median and into the path of a northbound SUV. She was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition. Her passenger, a 30-year-old Cantonment man, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The driver of a Chevrolet Equinox SUV, a 72-year-old Flomaton man, was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition. His passenger, a 70-year-old Flomaton woman, was also transported to Sacred Heart in serious condition.
The rear portion of Eyl’s car was ripped away in the collision, and the front and passenger compartment crossed all lanes of Highway 29 before bursting into flames.
The crash completely shut down Highway 29 for several hours.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Combative Suspect Tased, Shot With Less-Lethal Gun After Resisting Deputies In Century
May 29, 2026
A suspect shot by deputies with a less-lethal weapon was taken into custody just before noon on Friday in Century.
Cortez Rasheen Davison, 32, will face multiple charges according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident began with a criminal mischief complaint in the 7000 block of Alger Road (pictured left), just off North Century Boulevard. Davison allegedly broke a window at a mobile home. The Sheriff’s Office said he became combative with arriving deputies and fled.
Deputies caught up with Davison at the nearby Century Food Mart on North Century Boulevard, where he again became combative. The Sheriff’s Office said he was tased before being shot with a less-lethal bean bag gun and then taken into custody.
Davison was evaluated on-scene and medically cleared by an Escambia County EMS supervisor and Newman’s Ambulance.
Davison (pictured in a 2025 mugshot) will be booked into the Escambia County Jail Friday afternoon. The exact pending charges were no immediately available.
The ECSO said no actual shots were fired, and there were no injuries to deputies or citizens.
The Flomaton Police Department also responded and assisted.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Sending Death Threats To Ex-Girlfriend In Bratt
May 29, 2026
A man has been charged after allegedly traveling to the area to stalk and sending death threats to a Bratt woman.
Eric Dean Vickers, age 41 of Panama City, was charged with felony written or electronic threats to kill or do bodily harm.
According to an arrest report, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a harassing communications complaint at a residence near Bratt. The victim stated that Vickers, her ex-boyfriend, became enraged when she turned off the location tracking on her phone. Vickers then allegedly drove from Panama City to Escambia County to track her down.
The deputy reviewed numerous messages sent across Facebook, Snapchat, and text message threads. In the messages, Vickers allegedly threatened violence, claiming he would find her and murder her. One text message included a photograph of a black SUV parked outside a room she was in, along with a message stating he was about to kill her and the person she was with.
The victim fled her home to hide in Pensacola out of fear for her safety. Witnesses also reported seeing Vickers driving past the Bratt residence multiple times over a weekend. During the investigation, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Vickers’ silver Ford Escape at Highway 99 and Highway 4 in Bratt, confirming his identity and noting that his vehicle matched witness descriptions.
Investigators later linked a phone number used to send a threatening voicemail transcript directly to Vickers.
Vickers remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $15,000.
Deputies noted in the report that Vickers is formerly a resident of the Century area.
Salzman Reports $27 Million In Local Funding Secured In Proposed State Budget
May 29, 2026
Florida lawmakers have reached an agreement on state budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, including $27 million in funding for local projects secured by Rep. Michelle Salzman and several Senate partners.
Those projects include nearly $1.2 million for Century water and sewer projects, funds for an Escambia River Electric Cooperative water project, ECUA, and Escambia County public safety needs.
Among the projects included are funding initiatives supporting the University of West Florida, Pensacola State College, ECUA infrastructure improvements, Escambia County Fire Rescue emergency vehicles, veterans’ mental health services, Town o of Century water management improvements, Escambia River Electric Cooperative water system repairs and improvements, and the Northwest Florida Community Resilience & Long-Term Recovery Support Initiative.
“As lawmakers, one of our most important responsibilities is ensuring taxpayer dollars are invested back into our communities in meaningful ways,” said Salzman. “This budget prioritizes infrastructure, education, healthcare, public safety, and critical services that directly impact families across Northwest Florida. I’m proud to work alongside our delegation to secure investments that strengthen our communities while remaining responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.”
The budget has not yet been signed by Gov. DeSantis, who has the power to veto line items.
Local items currently in the budget include:
Town of Century
Century Inflow and Infiltration Study — $315,000
- The study is aimed at problem areas in the system to reduce wastewater flow at the town’s treatment plant.
Century Lift Station Rehabilitation — $830,339
- Rehabilitate two sewage life stations that were installed more than 30 years ago, a requirement of a consent order with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Escambia River Electric Cooperative
- Water System Repairs and Improvements — $117,244
- Rehabilitate water well located on Highway 97A in Enon, which as declined from 350 gallons per minute to 200 due to wear and reduced capacity.
ECUA
- West Ensley Septic to Sewer — $500,000
The project will convert a lower income area with poor drainage from septic tanks to sewer.
Escambia County
Hazardous materials regional emergency response vehicle — $900,000
- Intended as a regional response vehicle across multiple counties. The full ask was $1.8 million.
Technical rescue regional emergency vehicle — $800,000
- Intended as a regional response vehicle across multiple counties. The full ask was $1.6 million.
Station management system — $600,000
- Advanced station management system in all staffed fire stations. The full ask was $1.2 million
Escambia 911 communications improvements $350,000 HF 1187
- Replacement of outdated 911 dispatch consoles. The full ask was $700,000.
Sunset Wildlife Connection Brings Animal Encounters To Century, Molino Libraries
May 29, 2026
Kids had a chance to get up close and personal with nature on Thursday morning, during Sunset Wildlife Connection’s Animal Encounters at the Century Library.
They learned each animal’s story, how to make a difference to wild animals, and more.
Sunset Wildlife Connection of Molino also presented the program on Tuesday at the Molino Library.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bluff Springs Recreation Area Closed By Flooding
May 29, 2026
The Northwest Florida Water Management District has closed the Bluff Springs Recreation Area on the Escambia River due to flooding,
The District said access roads are flooded, prompting the temporary closure.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.