Cantonment Man Gets Maximum Sentence For Hit And Run That Killed One Juvenile, Injured Another
November 10, 2021
A Cantonment man has received the maximum sentence of 45 years for hitting two juveniles with his SUV last year on Quintette Road, killing one of them, before fleeing the scene.
Robert William Etheridge II, 59, received 30 years on one count of leaving the scene of a crash involving a death and 15 years for leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury. The sentences will be served consecutively.
About 8 p.m. on April 6, 2020, 12-year old Hailey Locke and 13-year old Rylee Simmons, both students at Ransom Middle School, were on Quintette Road approaching Carrington Lake Boulevard when they were struck by a Ford Escape driven by Etheridge. Troopers said he fled the scene and called the FHP about 24 minutes later to say he thought he had hit a deer.
The windshield was cracked in the crash, but not enough to obscure the driver’s view, according to an arrest report. The area in which the collision occurred was lit with multiple overhead lights, the weather was clear and there was a full moon, FHP said.
When law enforcement responded to his home, Etheridge showed signs of intoxication. The jury determined by their verdict that Etheridge knew, or should have known, that he had collided with people and left the scene of the crash.
Rylee was removed from a life support a little over a week later after his organs were donated.
Pictured top: Rylee Simmons, 13, and Hailey Locke. Photo provided by family for NorthEscambia.com. Pictured below: The crash scene on April 6, 2020. NorthEscambia.com photos.
FEMA Approves Another $1 Million For Escambia Sally Debris Removal
November 10, 2021
The $1,016,712 FEMA grant will go to the state to reimburse the county.
Escambia County employees collected and removed an additional 19,436 cubic yards of vegetative debris and 1,589 tons of construction and demolition debris from public roads and rights of way between November 21, 2020 and February 18, 2021.
Last month, FEMA approved a $13.7 million reimbursement for countywide debris removal.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Ernest Ward Middle Honors Veterans (With Photo Gallery)
November 10, 2021
Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill paused to honor veterans from the across the area Tuesday morning.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
The outdoor program featured the Presentation of Colors from the Northview High School NJROTC Color Guard, a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance from the Ernest Ward SGA, patriotic music from the EWMS Band, a performance of “God Bless the USA” from Pastor Tim Hawsey and Gayle Hanks the First Baptist Church of Bratt. Guest speaker was Lt. Colonel John Eubanks III.
Patriotic wreaths presented to some of the veterans were handmade by the EWMS Family and Consumer Sciences classes, and each one of the hundreds of students had an American flag.
The annual Veterans Day program at Ernest Ward is a longstanding community tradition, held annually (except 2020) for over 25 years. Notably, this was the first year that no World War II veterans in the community attended the event; most have now passed on.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Charged In Escambia County Double Murder
November 10, 2021
Two people are now charged in a double murder Tuesday morning in Escambia County.
Hunter Patrick Carroll, 15, and Nathan Douglas Brown, 18, were charged with two counts of murder each and one count of robbery each.
A man and woman were found dead with multiple gunshot wound inside a vehicle on Waycross Avenue near Stonewall Avenue, south of Gulf Beach Highway, in Warrington.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said the victims were found about 6:45 a.m. Their investigation is ongoing. The victims’ names and other details have not been released.
ECUA Sanitation Truck Rolls Over In Molino; FHP Said Driver Was Traveling Too Fast
November 9, 2021
There were no serious injuries reported when an ECUA sanitation truck rolled over Tuesday afternoon in Molino.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 26-year old female driver was traveling southbound on Highway 29 and attempted to make a right hand turn onto Stout Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com reader submitted photos from Gabe Harvell, click to enlarge.
SpaceX Capsule Splashes Down South Of Pensacola; Fireball Seen Across Escambia County
November 9, 2021
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 astronauts safely splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola Monday night aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, completing the agency’s second long-duration commercial crew mission to the International Space Station.
Across Escambia County, residents could see the fireball from the returning spacecraft streak across the sky like a meteor.
“It was cool! Glad I got to witness it,” one NorthEscambia.com reader wrote on our Facebook page. “We saw it coming down from our yard in Walnut Hill,” another reader posted.
“Endeavour, on behalf of SpaceX, welcome home to planet Earth,” flight control told the crew after confirmation of splashdown.
“It’s great to be back,” an astronaut replied.
The mission set a record for the longest spaceflight by a U.S. crewed spacecraft. The international crew of four spent 199 days in orbit, surpassing the 168 days set by NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission earlier this year.
NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet returned to Earth in a parachute-assisted splashdown at 9:33 p.m. south of Pensacola. Crews aboard SpaceX recovery vessels successfully recovered the spacecraft and astronauts. After returning to shore, the astronauts were to fly back to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The Crew-2 mission launched April 23 on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Crew Dragon Endeavour docked to the Harmony module’s forward port of the space station April 24, nearly 24-hours after liftoff.
Kimbrough, McArthur, Hoshide, and Pesquet traveled 84,653,119 statute miles during their mission, stayed 198 days aboard the space station, and completed 3,194 orbits around Earth.
Fields of Faith: Community Worship Service Wednesday Night At Northview
November 9, 2021
Northview High School’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes will host their annual Fields of Faith at Northview High School Wednesday night at 6:30 in Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium.
Admission is free; the public is encouraged to attend.
Fields of Faith is a national student-led initiative. “Students invite, pray for, share with, and challenge their peers to read the Bible and follow Jesus Christ. An athletic field provides a neutral, rally point where a community can come together,” according to national organizers.
Pictured: The 2019 Fields of Faith event at Northview High School. The event was not held in 2020. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Crashes Ford Mustang Into House
November 9, 2021
There were no injuries reported when a driver crashed into a house on Eight Mile Creek Road Monday.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 18-year old female driver of a Ford Mustang failed to negotiate a curve and collided with the home. The homeowner was inside the residence at the time of the crash, but was also not injured.
Escambia Fire Rescue worked to stabilize the home while boarding and tarping openings created by the vehicle.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Wins ‘Recycle Florida Today’ Environmental Sustainability Award
November 9, 2021
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) has been awarded the Outstanding Public Program tier of the annual Environmental Sustainability award presented by Recycle Florida Today.
The Recycle Florida Today Environmental Sustainability Award is the industry’s premier recognition of those having outstanding programs or events centered on recycling and environmental sustainability.
ECUA’s state of the art Materials Recycling Facility currently processes an average of 789 tons of recyclables per week with recycling programs from Destin to Biloxi relying on the facility for processing. Over 77% of ECUA customers participate in single stream curbside recycling.
With this award, ECUA was recognized statewide for innovative and highly efficient recycling operations, as well as their creative and resourceful public information campaigns that have significantly increased awareness to motivate recycling, composting, waste reduction, and other sustainability efforts.
Members of ECUA’s public information team recently joined other Recycle Florida Today Environmental Sustainability Award finalists from across the state in a virtual event to share information about their outstanding programs.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Cowboy Cheerleaders Win Multiple Competition Awards
November 9, 2021
The Cantonment Cowboy cheerleaders won multiple awards at the Emerald Coast Cheer Association competition recently at Pace High School.
There Cantonment Cowboy Midgets won first place, level one grand champions and high score grand champions.
The Cowboys Mighty Mites won first place, Mites won second place, and the Mini Mites won third place.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
