Airplane Ditches in East Bay of Death Two Men Shaken but OK Unclear After Friday A.M
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Auctioneer: Paul Stefon AU4292 March 24, 2012 • Preview /Buyer Registration - 2:00 PM visit www.ALSNWF.com AUCTION & LIQUID ATION SERVICES OF N.W. FLORIDA | (850) 916-4243 | 3044 Gulf Breeze Pkwy | Gulf Breeze FL 32563 AB3119 204 March 22, 2012 YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER 75¢ Driver’s cause Airplane ditches in East Bay of death Two men shaken but OK unclear after Friday a.m. incident BY JOE CULPEPPER acquaintance. Authorities said ■ Gulf Breeze woman Gulf Breeze News the men’s identities would have crossed U.S. 98 in SUV, [email protected] to come from private sources. The aircraft is registered to crashed into road sign Federal Aviation Skywarrior Inc., a flight-training Administration officials tightly company in Bay Minette, Ala. Investigators believe a med- guarded the identity of two men The company has an office at ical condition might be the who survived a ditched aircraft the Pensacola airport, and Fite cause of a fatal traffic accident landing in East Bay last Friday told a reporter the pilot said the on Thursday, March 15 in the morning. men had flown out of that loca- College Parkway area. A four-seat 1969 Cessna 172 tion. Reports said the men were Michele Gormley, 46, of Gulf glided to a splashdown at about practicing safety maneuvers Breeze was driving a 2000 model 10:15 a.m. after the pilot when the incident unfolded. Isuzu sport utility vehicle north radioed that the craft had A phone message left with on College Parkway at approxi- encountered an engine failure. the Skywarrior Inc. Pensacola mately 10:15 p.m. and crossed A resident of nearby Hickory office seeking information about Gulf Breeze Parkway before Shores Boulevard witnessed the the incident was not returned. striking a stop sign at the inter- landing and quickly put his boat FAA spokesperson Arlene section of Fordham Parkway, into the water and rescued the Salac said the aircraft was which parallels U.S. 98. The two men, who managed to exit removed from the bay Friday vehicle came to rest in the grass the capsized plane and start and transported to Atlanta, at 3254 Fordham Parkway. swimming toward shore. Josh Ward/Special to Gulf Breeze News where an exhaustive mechanical Gormley, who was wearing a The plane’s occupants were investigation was to be done. seatbelt, was transported to Gulf A white and blue 43-year-old Cessna 172 registered to a Bay Minette/Pensacola flight- training company sits submerged in East Bay after a pilot made an emergency water checked out by emergency Bill Fite III, 43, of the 4800 Breeze Hospital, where she was landing on Friday morning. The plane apparently lost engine power before the crash. responders and picked up by an •See AIRPLANE, Page 2A pronounced deceased. Her death did not fall under the jurisdic- tion of the District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office in Pensacola, a records official said. GBPD takes leap into 21st century with technology The accident occurred in the same area of a fatal pedestrian generation online. The GBPD post- Chief Robert Randle said. “From into Pensacola. It stayed congested BY VICI PAPAJOHN death in the wee hours of ed and activated its Facebook page the beginning of both Saturday and one way or the other. Dispatch was Monday, March 12. Christine Gulf Breeze News [email protected] on March 12 and also activated an Sunday, the beautiful weather drew able to activate our Nixle texting Nelson, 47, of Gulf Breeze died emergency update texting service, crowds out to the beach. We had alerts for the first time.” in that incident when she The Gulf Breeze Police Nixle. bumper-to-bumper cars for the first Nixle is a free service to all inter- attempted to cross U.S. 98 at Department took a leap into the 21st “This weekend is a perfect exam- half of the day going over to the ested area residents. It was added 4:40 a.m. and was struck by a century last week under its new ple of how easy it is to notify people beach, and then the second half of only last week, and the GBPD passing 18-wheeler. leadership, joining the Facebook and warn them of any situation,” the day we had crowds heading back •See TECHNOLOGY, Page 3A Randle U.S. 98 Body in Escambia Bay Walmart Market opens for business safety to be Walmart Neighborhood tentatively identified Market opened last improved Wednesday to a large crowd ■ Pensacola man attached to an of waiting shoppers and debuted their policy of com- BY JOE CULPEPPER suspected of jumping ankle, which led Gulf Breeze News investigators to munity support with several [email protected] from interstate bridge the tentative iden- checks for $500 each to local The Santa Rosa County tification. The schools, not-for-profits and Changes are coming to U.S. Sheriff’s Office said Monday GPS manufacturer the sports association. Highway 98 that should give that a body found floating in was able to check Willingham “Walmart is celebrating its pedestrians and bicyclists more Escambia Bay near Interstate the serial numbers 50th anniversary,” store man- space to share the roadway and 10 on Saturday was likely that assigned to the unit and found ager Robert Luiz said. “And significantly enhance safety. of Patrick Willingham, 29, of that it was registered and the spirit of Sam Walton is They can’t come a minute Pensacola. assigned to Willingham, on still very much alive. I think it too soon. The body was found float- state probation in Escambia is very interesting that the After July 1, a shoulder- ing north of the I-10 bridge County as a registered sex small grocery store concept widening initiative will get under and south of the train trestle offender. Vici Papajohn/Gulf Breeze News he began is what we are way on U.S. 98 between the Gulf on the Santa Rosa County Willingham was reported Assistant store manager Tyson Hall and GBMS Principal opening here today. Richard Cobb show off donation checks. •See SAFETY, Page 2A side. It had a GPS monitor •See BODY, Page 3A Everything old is new again!” WEEKEND Weather-plus GBUMC dedicates 25th Habitat House home! Local church was first to sponsor affiliate house your FRI 3/23 SAT 3/24 SUN 3/25 MON 3/26 The sun BY MELANIE KORMONDY ISOLATED SOME SUNNY SUNNY brightly Special to GBN T-STORMS T-STORMS shined [email protected] hi 78/ lo 66 hi 76/ lo 64 hi 78/ lo 62 hi 80/ lo 63 Saturday, March 17 as Gulf Breeze community rain: 30 % rain: 50 % rain: 0 % rain: 0 % members gathered to dedicate Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church’s 25th INSIDE Habitat For Humanity Home in the honor Calendar . .2A Gas Watch . .6A On The Spot . .6A of Betty and James Salter. Classifieds . .7C Health . .4B Opinion . .6A “This is the first church to come for- Call 932-8986 today Call 932-8986 today Crossword Puzzle . .3B Island News . .8A Schools . .6C ward and sponsor a house for this affili- Fire/Police Reports .2A Lifestyles . .1B Sports . .1-5C ate,” said Betty, who along with her hus- Melanie Kormondy/Special to GBN band has been a part of the Habitat For Randy Mason fights back tears as “Mailing Statement on Opinion Page” he and wife, Dana, accept a Bible THREE SECTIONS, 20 PAGES | VOL. 11, NO. 12 | MARCH 22, 2012 •See HABITAT, Page 3A from GBUMC’s Bo Parker. Enjoy your community papermailed directly to papermailed directly community your Enjoy GULF BREEZE NEWS (850) 932-8986 www.gulfbreezenews.com 2 A March 22, 2012 GULF BREEZE NEWS AIRPLANE: Rescuer had prior Coast Guard experience Continued from page 1A A huge splash occurred as the plane’s fixed heads bobbing in the water about 200-250 feet away. I went block of Hickory Shores wheels and then the fuselage slammed into the to them.” Boulevard, said he was in his water. The tail flipped over the nose, and the A sea-towing company float- CALENDAR OF EVENTS home and looking toward the plane landed upside down in 15 to 20 feet of ed the aircraft late in the day and bay when he noticed the high- hauled it to shore. Thursday, March 22 wing airplane flying low over water. Fite has been hailed as a hero the water. by various witnesses, but he Santa Rosa Commissioner’s Meeting 9 a.m., County Commissioner’s Board Room, 6495 Caroline “I thought to myself, ‘That’s nessed the accident jumped into brought them back to my dock, said he was only doing what Street, Milton weird,’” said Fite, a mechanic at a kayak and began paddling and EMTs and everybody else anyone would have done in a SRC Commission Special Rezoning Meeting toward the crash scene. were waiting. They got checked similar situation. 6 Hidden Creek Golf Club in p.m., County Commissioner’s Board Room, 6495 Navarre. “I watched it for a Fite’s rescue instincts took out. The pilot’s hands were “I got lucky and happened to Caroline Street, Milton minute. It didn’t seem to be in over. A former member of the shaking a little bit. He was nerv- see it. I’m just glad they are Santa Rosa District School Board Meeting 6:30 distress. I didn’t hear any sput- Coast Guard, Fite spent several ous. Heck, I’m sure I’d be in OK,” Fite said. “Everybody p.m., 5086 Canal Street, Milton tering. There was no smoke. It years in the 1990s on search and shock if my plane went down.” keeps wanting to call me a hero.