‘Don’t Try Nothin Stupid’: Report Details Failed Bank Robbery Attempt, Desperate Plea By Woman, 63
December 3, 2025
A 63-year old woman that is charged a failed robbery attempt at Nine Mile Road bank on the day before Thanksgiving passed a note asking for a specific amount of money and with a plea for help, according to an arrest report obtained by NorthEscambia.com.
Gwendolyn Delores Brown was charged with communications fraud obtaining $300 or more and grand theft $10,000 to $20,000.
According to the arrest report from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Brown entered the bank just before noon on November 26 and passed a demand note to a bank employee. The note was explicit, demanding$16,000.
According to the report, the note stated “I demand that you put in the bag $16,000 dollars or the family will sulfer and don’t try nothin stupid.”
The employee, who was sitting at a desk in the lobby, initially went behind the teller line to alert colleagues and the manager that they were being robbed. Fearing for the safety of the suspect’s alleged hostages, another bank employee instructed colleagues to provide the cash, the report states. A total of $16,000 in U.S. currency was placed into a white zippered bank bag and handed over to Brown.
Immediately after receiving the money, Brown reportedly began crying and shared a frantic story with the bank staff. She claimed she had been sent into the bank by unknown individuals who were holding her son hostage and threatening to harm him. The location of the alleged hostage was initially stated as a car in the parking lot, but later changed to her home address.
Multiple deputies were dispatched to the scene in reference to a hold-up. Upon arrival, deputies quickly searched the bank and neighboring shopping center parking lot but found no individuals in distress or vehicles matching the suspect’s initial claims.
The responding deputy then established contact with Brown, who provided her address and alleged that a man named “James,” described as a black male in his 50s or 60s, was holding her so, due to a debt owed by her husband. Deputies were immediately sent to the home address to perform a welfare check. During the investigation at the bank, the deputy noted that parts of Brown’s account seemed inconsistent.
While speaking with a bank employee who was familiar with Brown from previous transactions, the employee noted that the suspect was “shaky and not herself.” According to sworn statements, this employee attempted to calm Brown, who then claimed to have received a phone call from an unknown number stating that the bad men left and her kids were safe.
In a separate account, a friend of Brown, who was scheduled to meet her for lunch at a Waffle House across the street, was interviewed by deputies. This individual revealed that Brown had been under significant stress, including facing the possibility of losing her house to foreclosure and dealing with medical issues involving a brother in South Florida. The friend also confirmed that Brown resided alone in her home.
The $16,000 in cash was recovered by a bank employee shortly after Brown received it, as she was crying and speaking with staff. The bank confirmed it wished to press charges.
Brown was subsequently placed under arrest and transported to the Escambia County Jail. She was released on a $5,000 bond early Thanksgiving morning.
Evidence submitted in the case includes a black beanie cap, two bus passes, the demand letter, and written statements from witnesses.
Pictured: The Ensley Branch of Regions Bank on Nine Mile Road minutes after an alleged failed robbery attempt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Traversing North Escambia On A Mission To Walk Across America From Top To Bottom
December 2, 2025
When Tim Hickle decided he would retire after 40 years as a buyer in the construction industry, his wife said he needed to find something to do. And he did.
Walking across America from north to south.
“So I went online and I searched the things to do when you retire, which is a horrible idea,” the 64-year-old said Monday afternoon on Pine Barren Road near McDavid.
“But I found this guy that walked Route 66 from Chicago to L.A. It was something I thought I could do. The more research I did, the more I found there were just hundreds and hundreds of people that go from coast to coast each year.”
He eventually settled on a north-south route from northern Minnesota, at the northernmost point of the U.S. at the Canadian border, to Key West, Florida. He retired in May and started his walk on June 8; he hopes to reach Key West by the end of February.
He’s made it over 180 days and 2,700 miles to North Escambia. He has about 900 miles to go.
He crossed into Florida on Sunday and spent Sunday night at Lake Stone near Century before hitting the road again. He planned to spend Monday night at the Bogia Boat Ramp on Bogia Road off Highway 29 before heading to the Molino Fire Station by Tuesday night.
As he walks, he pulls what he has nicknamed the “Copper Kettle”. It’s a simple camper cart he designed and built that carries his supplies and provides a place to sleep. The cart weighs about 120 pounds. “It has a memory foam mattress, sleeping bag, pillows,” he said. “Anything that needs to stay dry goes inside.”
Hickle is not walking to raise money or draw attention to any cause.
“It’s just a personal goal to walk from the far north in the Lower 48 to the far south in the Lower 48. There’s a lot to be said for downsizing to the point where everything I need fits into 22 square feet. I don’t mean to be anti-commercial or anything, but less is more for me.” Along the way, he recharges electrical items as he can, items like his phone and caution lights for the back of the camper.
Hickle is keeping in touch with his wife back home in Colorado as he walks, joining her when he can by phone or video—especially on Mondays when he helps her babysit their grandchild.
“We are about to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary,” he noted. He is going to miss that anniversary as he walks. One of the best parts of the walk, he said, is meeting people.
“I’m doing this at a walking pace so that I can have human interactions,” he said. “I can have a conversation with someone by the road that is getting the mail or mowing their grass. We are going to have some kind of interaction.”
“They are really the high points of his journey.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Grants Final Approval For New Molino Subdivision On Highway 97
December 1, 2025
On November 19, the Escambia County Development Review Committee gave final approval to Bluewater Creek Estates, a new residential subdivision in Molino.
The gated community will have 33 single family residential lots located on 185 acres in the 1400 block of Highway 97 just north of Sunshine Hill Road. Lots for single family homes range in size from 4-12 acres.
The development will be served by Molino Utilities for potable water and private septic systems for wastewater because sewer is not available.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate High Swim Team Make School History At State
December 1, 2025
The Tate High School swim team made school history recently at the FHSAA 3A State Swim Meet in Ocla.
Lauren Armstrong, Audrey Turner, Jordana Wright, Kiley Menser and alternate Izzy Eden became the first Girls 400 Freestyle Relay team in Tate history to make it to the state swim meet.
Tate High results were as follows:
- Lauren Armstrong – 200 Freestyle
- State Selection – 17th seed
- Preliminaries – 17th place
- Lauren Armstrong – 500 Freestyle
- State Selection – 12th seed
- Preliminaries – 16th place
- Finals – 15th place
- Audrey Turner – 100 Backstroke
- State Selection – 17th seed
- Preliminaries – 20th place
- Alex Witte – 50 Freestyle (DIS)
- State Selection – 7th seed
- Finals – 6th place
- Alex Witte – 100 Freestyle (DIS)
- State Selection – 7th seed
- Finals – 6th place
- Lauren Armstrong, Audrey Turner, Jordana Wright, Kiley Menser – Girls 400 Freestyle Relay
- State Selection – 19th seed
- Preliminaries – 18th place
The team is led by Head Coach Kevin Menser and Assistant Coach Katie Eden.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Unborn Child Dies Following Early Morning Crash On Highway 29 In Cantonment
November 30, 2025
An unborn child has died following a two-vehicle crash early Sunday morning on Highway 29 in Cantonment, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash happened about 1:05 a.m. on Highway 29 at Neal Road.
FHP said a white GMC Sierra pickup truck driven by a male 17-year-old Molino teen was traveling southbound on Highway 29 approaching, Neal Road as a black Ford F150 pickup driven by a 21-year-old Cantonment woman was traveling northbound. The teen attempted a left turn onto Neal Road. The vehicles collided, with one of the pickups overturning into a ditch.
FHP confirmed that the teen driver was at-fault in the crash.
Firefighters worked over an hour to free one of the entrapped victims. The two drivers were seriously injured, with one airlifted to the hospital. A passenger in the Sierra, a 21-year-old male from Magnolia, Texas, was also injured.
FHP said the 21-year-old woman was pregnant and lost her child in the crash.
The FHP investigation is continuing.
Tag Violation Leads To Arrest Of Cantonment Man On Multiple Drug Charges
November 30, 2025
A routine traffic stop for an obscured license resulted in the arrest of a Cantonment man on multiple drug charges.
Scott Alan Popp Jr., 25, of Pensacola, was pulled over near North W Street and Sam’s Fun City by an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy. The initial stop was for an alleged unlawful alteration of his vehicle tag, which obscured the state designation.
According to an arrest report filed, a K-9 unit was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A subsequent probable cause search uncovered a container allegedly holding crystal substances that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, a white rock-like substance that tested positive for cocaine, and loose marijuana, along with drug paraphernalia.
Popp was charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (methamphetamine), possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (cocaine), possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and issued a citation for unlawful alteration of a tag.
Popp remained in the Escambia County Jail on Sunday with bond set at $6,150.