Fundraiser held for Pepsi employee
Published 3:02 pm Tuesday, December 29, 2020
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A lot of love is being shown toward a well-known Atmore man.
A GoFundMe page was set up for “Mr. PeeWee” (Bowens), an employee at Pepsi Bottling Co., who was the victim of an alleged burglary recently.
According to Atmore Advance archives, three from Atmore were arrested Dec. 17 on receiving stolen property and fleeing and eluding charges.
Sheriff Heath Jackson said Angelia White, 18, was arrested with reckless endangerment I, receiving stolen property I and fleeing and eluding I. He is being held at the Escambia County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond. Arion Williams, 21, was charged with receiving stolen property and given a $100,000 bond, Jackson said.
Jackson said Deontae Hudson, who was also with White, was arrested and was waiting on extradition back into Alabama to face charges.
Jackson said on Dec. 17, ECSO deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a white Hyundai sedan traveling on Tumbling Lane in the Canoe area.
“The vehicle matched the description of a car that had been used in several burglaries,” Jackson said in a release.
Jackson said the arrested stemmed from numerous burglaries that took place in Escambia County, Ala.
Denise Rutherford, who organized the GoFundMe page for Bowens, said those who were arrested took his clothes, leaving only his work uniforms.
“I feel like this is the least I can do for the kindness he has shown to me and my children over the years,” Rutherford wrote on the page’s description. “I lived next door to him for a few years and he was the greatest neighbor anyone could ever have.”
Rutherford said Bowens would bring little gifts and goodies to her kids several times a week.
“If we were sick, he would go buy a bag full of medicines and bring them to the house,” she said. “He has the kindest heart of anyone I know. For something like this to happen to him is heartbreaking.”
According to Pepsi Cola Bottling Co. of Atmore’s Facebook page, Bowen’s gun, a 55-inch TV and brand new clothes were taken. The clothes were from B&B Western Corral. Additionally, the arrested took a special Pepsi jacket that was given to Bowens by his best friend who passed away in 2006, Big Hooper Matthews.
Some items have been returned to Peewee, according to Pepsi’s post.
As of Dec. 27, $1,995 of $2,500 has been raised. Visit www.gofundme.com to donate.