Courtroom Drama Averted

Highland Park families drop contentious lawsuits about alleged rape

The defamation lawsuit and ensuing counter lawsuit surrounding an alleged sexual assault between two Highland Park High School students have both come to an end.

Ryan Romo was 18 years old when he was arrested for sexual assault of a child after a 16-year-old girl accused him of raping her in the backseat of his car. The pair were seen leaving a concert together at South Side ballroom, then called the Palladium, in October 2012.

After a Dallas County grand jury declined to indict Romo on charges of sexual assault in January 2013, the Romo family sued his accuser for defamation and malicious prosecution. The Romos were seeking unspecified damages related to their son's lost athletic opportunities as a Major League Baseball prospect.

The girl, who was referred to as Jane Doe in court documents, then filed a counter lawsuit against Romo for mental anguish, physical pain and suffering, and medical treatment as a result of sexual assault.

Doe was represented by high-profile Dallas attorney Charla Aldous, who won a $9.3 million verdict against the Episcopal School of Dallas in 2011 for its actions in the aftermath of a teacher's sexual assault of a student. The case was later settled for an undisclosed amount.

Aldous and Romo family attorney Mark Senter issued identical statements on the status of their clients' respective lawsuits. "All claims and counterclaims between all parties have been resolved," the attorneys said.

The alleged sexual assault involved two Highland Park High School students.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

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Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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