Escaped State Work Release Inmate Recaptured Friday Afternoon
September 9, 2022
An escaped state prisoner has been recaptured.
Cory A. Robinson, 22, escaped from the Pensacola CRC at 6:15 p.m. on L Street in Pensacola.
Robinson was serving a 2-year, 6-month sentence out of Bay County for burglary, grand theft and grand theft auto.
Century’s Approval Of 151% Property Tax Increase Delayed By Absent Councilman
September 9, 2022
The Town of Century’s attempt to tentatively approve a budget and property tax increase were stalled Thursday night after one council member was a no show.
The town is proposing a property tax rate that is 151.68% increase over what’s known as the rolled back rate. A millage rate higher than the rolled-back rate is defined by the State of Florida as a tax increase.
The tax increase is so great that the state requires a unanimous vote of the body for approval, or a special referendum at the ballot box.
Council member Leonard White did not attend Thursday night’s meeting, and the council waited 30 minutes for his arrival.
Town Clerk Leslie Howington said she did not hear from White on Thursday, but he is employed at Century Correctional Institution where he is not allowed to have his phone for security reasons. She stated that she had been told that the prison had gone into a “class 2″ lockdown at noon Thursday while he was presumed to be at work.
Howington said she would check with the Florida Department of Revenue to determine how the town should proceed with a rescheduled hearing.
Pictured above: Council President Luis Gomez, Jr. (light blue shirt) waits for a meeting to begin while three other council members pass the time on their phones Thursday night. They were waiting in hopes that council member Leonard White would arrive. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Flags At Half Staff To Honor Of Queen Elizabeth II
September 9, 2022
Following the Death of Queen Elizabeth II at age 96 on Thursday, flags were ordered to half staff at federal buildings by President Joe Biden.
Gov. Ron DeSantis also ordered flags in Florida to half staff at all local and state buildings and grounds.
Flags will remain at half staff until sunset on the day of interment.
Pictured: The flag at half staff Thursday night between the Century Town Hall (left) and the Century Branch of the West Florida Library. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Murder Charge Dropped Against Woman After Co-defendant Is Acquitted
September 9, 2022
A first degree premeditated murder charges has been dismissed against a woman accused in the shooting death of her daughter’s boyfriend in 2021.
Dawn Sluder was released from the Escambia County Jail where she had been held since February 2021.
The dismissal came after Jonathon Taylor Hobbs of Cantonment walked out of the Escambia County Jail Saturday a free man, following his acquittal on a first-degree premeditated murder.
Hobbs, 29 was accused of the shooting death of 35-year old Danny Blackmon, Jr., on February 1, 2021. He would have faced up to life in prison if the jury had convicted him.
During his trial, Hobbs claimed he shot Blackmon in self defense on Lawson Lane off Jacks Branch Road.
Hobbs was with Sluder, who was trying to get her then 18-year old daughter away from Blackmon. Sluder believed Blackmon was holding her against her will, but the daughter testified that was not true.
Hobbs testified that Blackmon approached him in an aggressive manner, threatening to kill him and Sluder.
“He took three steps coming at me, pulling something out of his pocket,” Hobbs said in court. “It was a black object. I thought it was a gun. but it wasn’t. It turned out to be a phone. I raised my gun, and I blacked out. I believe I was in shock, and I just shot. That’s all I did.”
Blackmon was shot five times, including once when he was already on the ground, according to prosecutors.
Driver Charged With DUI After Crashing Through Molino Road Guardrail
September 9, 2022
A driver was charged with DUI after he crashed through a guardrail on Molino Road Thursday afternoon.
David Lee Williams, age 49 of Pace, was charged by the Florida Highway Patrol with DUI alcohol or drugs third violation within 10 years and smuggling a controlled substance into the Escambia County Jail. His bond was set at $15,000.
Williams lost control of his vehicle on Molino Road near Veazey Lane about 5 p.m., left the roadway, and crashed through a guardrail. The vehicle came to rest overturned in a deep ditch. There were no passengers or other vehicles involved in the crash.
Further details have not been released.
The Molino and McDavid stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Rally Late To Top Smokies 11-6
September 9, 2022
Trailing 6-0 after six innings, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos embarked on a furious rally to defeat the Tennessee Smokies on Thursday night by a score of 11-6.
Norel González hit a grand slam in the seventh, and Paul McIntosh highlighted a four-hit game with a two-run homer in the eighth as the Blue Wahoos evened up their series against the Smokies one game apiece.
Tennessee struck first in the third inning when Jake Slaughter’s two-out fly ball to left field was lost in the twilight for an RBI double. Chase Strumpf took starter Patrick Monteverde deep for a three-run homer in the third, and Miguel Amaya connected on an RBI double against reliever Robinson Martínez to put the Smokies up 6-0.
Pensacola couldn’t solve Smokies starter Riley Thompson, leaving five men aboard over 5.0 scoreless innings. Against Peyton Remy in the seventh, however, they loaded the bases with a hit batsman and a pair of walks before McIntosh got the Blue Wahoos on the board with an RBI single on a 3-0 pitch. Eduarniel Nuñez (L, 0-1) entered to face González, who blasted his second grand slam of the season to put the Blue Wahoos within a run at 6-5.
After a scoreless seventh from Chandler Jozwiak (W, 1-0), the Blue Wahoos bats got back to work in the eighth. Davis Bradshaw led off the inning with a single, stole second and scored on a game-tying RBI double from Marcus Chiu. One batter later, Thomas Jones put Pensacola ahead with an RBI double of his own past a drawn-in infield. Demetrius Sims added an RBI single before McIntosh hit his two-run homer to cap Pensacola’s second five-run inning in a row.
McIntosh drew a bases-loaded walk for an insurance run in the ninth before Sean Reynolds, pitching multiple innings for the first time at Double-A, closed things out on the mound.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Smokies with a doubleheader on Friday at Smokies Stadium.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Cantonment Man Gets Two Life Sentences For Gonzalez Double Shooting
September 8, 2022
An Escambia County man will spend the remainder of his life in prison. James Isiah Blackmon, Jr., 56, received two life sentences Thursday morning for the double shooting in December of 2020 off Kingsfield Road.
He was convicted of second degree murder for the death of Christopher Roan, his stepson, and attempted first degree murder of Samantha Noble, Roan’s girlfriend.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the home on Packwood Drive, just off East Kingsfield Road, to find Blackmon’s wife standing on the front porch of the home and stating that her son was dead and her husband had fled the scene.
Deputies entered the home to find Roan on the floor partially in a hallway with a female witness by his side. He was dead with a gunshot wound to his forehead and multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, according to an ECSO report.
Moments later, deputies were behind Blackmon’s vehicle as it headed back to the scene. Deputies conducted a traffic stop in front of the home (pictured) and took him into custody without further incident. A Smith and Wesson handgun was on the floorboard of the Charger, deputies said.
Blackmon’s attorney had argued the shooting was self defense.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Votes To Buy One Of Two New Ladder Trucks; ‘Ladder 5′ In Century Down For 600 Days
September 8, 2022
In a special meeting this week, the Escambia County Commission voted to buy one of two suddenly available ladder trucks for the fire department. The vote came amid discussion of the need for additional aerial trucks and Escambia County Fire Rescue’s “Ladder 5″ stationed in Century that’s been out of service for about 600 days.
The trucks were offered at a discount to Escambia County under an Orange County contract after the Orange County purchaser backed out.
Escambia County Administrator Wes Moreno said the county would receive a discount of about $250,000 total for the two trucks, while Commissioner Robert Bender said later in a special meeting that it was $250,000 each. In addition, they would arrive over a year earlier than two aerial trucks Escambia County planned to order anyway after the next budget cycle.
“I felt like it was a good situation in which we could save some money now on purchasing the equipment that we are going to need anyway,” Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore told commissioners, “and get them in a little quicker than we thought.”
Commissioner Steven Barry made the motion to purchase just one of the trucks, a 2023 E-ONE HR100 aerial ladder for $1,251,724.30. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lumon May. If only purchasing one of the two trucks, the ladder was Gilmore’s preference.
Commissioner Robert Bender pointed out that the new Beulah Fire Station will have the space to house a ladder truck, need for other ladders in the county and the downtime for Ladder 5 in Century.
Commissioner Doug Underhill said he would support purchasing the second truck because growth will mean new fire stations and a need for new equipment, and he said the time to save money is now due to inflation.
“This is almost certainly the cheapest that we will be able to purchase equipment,” Underhill said, adding that if Barry’s motion for just the one truck was approved, he would motion to purchase the second truck, a 2023 E-ONE 100-foot aerial platform for $$1,527,087.
“I think today’s a win. We get a brand new piece of equipment…we are going to get it a year and a half early. I’m certainly going to support my counterparts in the motion that they’ve made,” Barry said. “I think putting out $1.2 million on top of all of the other money we have put into fire…moving forward with one gives us a little more time to evaluate the fleet. And I think that’s the prudent step to take.”
Barry’s motion passed unanimously, and Underhill immediately made a motion to purchase the second aerial platform truck. With no discussion, the motion failed 3-2 with Underhill and Bender voting in favor.
“Having the new truck will allow us to evaluate our current situation with ladders, giving us some breathing room to take one out of service when needed to bring it back up to full,” Gilmore said.
ECFR will evaluate the best placement for the new truck before it arrives sometime around November or December of next year. Another previously ordered ladder truck is scheduled to arrive in September 2023.
Gilmore told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday that he hopes Ladder 5 in Century will be back in service soon. In 2012, the Century Fire Station received the refurbished 1991 75-foot ladder truck that was formerly assigned to the Ensley Fire Station. Gilmore said it has become impossible to find some parts for the truck, but they have now obtained and will convert a part to put the truck back in service.
Pictured top: The 31-year old “Ladder 5″, assigned to Century Fire Station, as seen in January 2012 after it was refurbished. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century Town Hall Reopens After Lobby Floors Refinished (With Before And After Photos)
September 8, 2022
The Century Town Hall reopened this week after being closed last week to refinish the lobby floors.
Local contractor Peacock Builders did the work at a cost of $2,952, according to the town.
The last picture below shows the lobby before the work.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Before:
Century Woman Charged With Stealing Customer’s Car From Repair Shop
September 8, 2022
A Century woman is accused of stealing a vehicle from an auto repair shop where she was employed.
Samantha Dawn Harrison, 29, was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle. She was released on a $10,000 bond.
The victim told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that he paid Precision Tune Auto Care on Navy Boulevard $1,105.75 on July 21 for the initial service on his vehicle, but he did not receive 2005 Pontiac GTO back. He was told that the vehicle had been taken to a dealership to fix additional issues, and later learned that Harrison had been terminated.
The victim was told by the dealership that they had no record of the vehicle. He was told by the dealership service manager that Harrison had requested parts for the vehicle, and he learned that Harrison was utilizing the vehicle for personal use. The victim told deputies that he only authorized the vehicle to be drive to and from the dealership.
The victim alleged that Harrison had been driving the vehicle to Atmore and having someone drive it back. In text messages, Harrison admitted to driving the vehicle from Precision Tune, and she stated that she hit a deer and had been trying to fix it, according to an arrest report.
The damaged vehicle was recovered by the ECSO in the 50 block of West State Line Road in Century on August 25. Harrison was at the residence, but her statements were redacted from the arrest report.