Escambia Man Arrested For Animal Cruelty For Abandoning Dogs On Cantonment Road
January 30, 2026
A man was arrested Thursday on animal cruelty charges after he allegedly dumped two dogs with no food or water on Becks Lake Road in Cantonment.
Bryan Wayne Mott, 60, was booked into the Escambia County Jail on two counts of animal cruelty — abandonment of an animal.
The incident occured on January 21 when an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy observed a red Chevy Silverado traveling on Becks Lake Road with two dogs in the bed of the truck. A short time later, the same truck passed the deputy again, this time without the dogs.
Moments later, a concerned citizen flagged the deputy down and reported that a red truck had just dumped two dogs and fled the area. The deputy immediately responded, located the dogs on a dead-end portion of Becks Lake Road, and safely placed them in the back of his patrol vehicle.
After running the vehicle tag and reviewing surveillance footage, the deputy identified Mott as the driver and owner of the red Silverado.
When contacted, Mott initially denied any knowledge of the dogs, then provided several conflicting explanations about how the dogs ended up abandoned without food or water and the end of Beck’s Lake Road. Surveillance video later confirmed his truck traveling north with the dogs at Old Chemstrand Road and Highway 29.
Animal Control responded, and the dogs were safely turned over to their care.
FHSAA Merges Rural Class With Class 1A For Football
January 30, 2026
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Board of Directors voted in emergency session on Thursday to combine Rural Class and Class 1A into a single classification for two years, beginning with the upcoming season.
FHSAA policy requires at least 24 schools for there to be a rural classification. With only 16 schools meeting the criteria, the board voted to merge the classifications to ensure a consistent competitive structure.
FHSAA Executive Director Craig Damon called the emergency meeting after after many rural schools moved to the Sunshine State Athletic Association (SSAA).
“The rural schools that want to be part of the state series can now do so,” said FHSAA Executive Director Craig Damon.
The Board also voted to allow the creation of an independent league under FHSAA authority, giving independent schools the option to participate with the potential for postseason play.
The FHSAA will provide updated classification details to schools in the coming weeks.
In the Northwest Florida area, Northview, Jay, Baker, Blountstown, Central, Chipley were in the Rural Class for football. There are no Northwest Florida schools in 1A football.
According to the SSAA website, the only members school in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties is Lighthouse Private Christian Academy in Gulf Breeze.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs defeated the Jay Royals 28-20 on October 10, 2025. Both teams were in the Rural Class. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
