Missing drive-by shooting suspect found in Texas 3 days after leaping from Escambia bridge

Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal
Updated ·3 min read
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After days of searching, the third suspect who allegedly participated in the Erress Boulevard drive-by shooting and subsequently leaped from the Escambia River Bridge was found in Texas on Thursday.

The Escambia County Sheriff's Office announced on Facebook that 19-year-old Terrance Gross was arrested in Laredo, Texas, as he was allegedly heading to Mexico.

Once extradited to Escambia County, he will be charged for the attempted murder of the 70-year-old woman shot during the drive-by shooting, according to the ECSO.

What happened on June 24?

Deputies were notified by the Real Time Crime Center that a stolen vehicle had been spotted, so ECSO patrol deputies made their way to Erress Boulevard in Brent. Before deputies arrived, ShotSpotter notified the RTCC of 40 shots being fired on the same road as the vehicle.

Deputies then found the vehicle and began the pursuit.

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said during a Tuesday press conference that the chase ran from Massachusetts Avenue to Fairfield Drive to Interstate 10. Then the car exited on Scenic Highway traveling toward Pace.

The chase ended with a deputy performing a PIT maneuver on the fleeing vehicle on the Escambia River Bridge.

Suspects leap from Escambia River Bridge in alleged attempt to escape

After the PIT maneuver, video shows the three suspects immediately exit the vehicle and jump off the bridge.

Simmons reported that one of the men missed the water during the jump and died from injuries related to the fall. The ECSO later identified the deceased as 22-year-old Trevion Moton.

Jaquaris Ethridge, 19, was arrested after his jump and charged with attempted first-degree premediated murder, felony murder for the death of Moton, firing missiles into a dwelling and fleeing law enforcement with lights and sirens activated.

Ethridge faces two life sentences if convicted of his charges.

70-year-old woman remains critical

During the volley of 40 shots Monday, a 70-year-old woman was struck in the neck and was transported to a hospital in critical condition.

Lewis told the News Journal that the woman remains alive but is still in critical condition.

The woman was the only one injured during the shooting.

Sheriff Chip Simmons believes the shooting was retaliation

ECSO K-9 Street was injured after jumping off the Escambia River Bridge Monday, June 25, 2024 to pursue a suspect. He fully recovered at Davis Animal Hospital Emergency Center.
ECSO K-9 Street was injured after jumping off the Escambia River Bridge Monday, June 25, 2024 to pursue a suspect. He fully recovered at Davis Animal Hospital Emergency Center.

During the sheriff's press conference, Simmons said he believes the shooting was in retaliation to the drive-by shooting that killed 22-year-old Terrell Owens on June 20.

Pensacola Police told the News Journal that Owens died at the corner of Gonzalez and M streets and that investigators were looking for a white SUV with potentially up to three suspects.

ECSO K-9 injured after jumping off bridge while pursuing suspect

During the chase, K-9 Streeter was used to chase Gross. Video shows Streeter chasing Gross and subsequently jumping off the Escambia River Bridge during the pursuit.

"K-9 Streeter does what he's supposed to do. He does what he's trained to do," Simmons said. "He's trained to chase and apprehend bad guys no matter where they go, no matter what they do."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola drive-by shooting suspect found in Texas after bridge jump