Break in the Case

Dallas police arrest man and woman in connection to violent driveway robberies

Dallas police have arrested two people in connection to a string of violent driveway robberies. Charles Hunt, a 51-year old white male, and Santana Andrews, a 27-year-old black female, have been charged with aggravated robbery.

At a February 21 press conference at Dallas Police headquarters, Jeff Cotner said the investigation into Hunt and Andrews was ongoing. "We're trying to determine if they are involved in all 24 of these offenses," Cotner said.

"We're trying to determine if they are involved in all 24 of these offenses," said Jeff Cotner of the Dallas Police.

Hunt has nine prior offenses for robbery and is currently on parole. Cotner said that Andrews also had a criminal record, though he didn't disclose her previous arrests as they appear unrelated to robbery.

Driveway robberies have plagued several Dallas neighborhoods, including Highland Park, East Dallas and Oak Cliff, where Hunt and Andrews were arrested on February 20.

Hunt and Andrews were pulled over while driving a silver SUV, which was spotted at the scene of a driveway robbery on Montclair Avenue. After police conducted a traffic stop, one of the SUV occupants threw a wallet out the window. When officers searched the vehicle, they found other items consistent with robbery, such as a ski mask.

Cotner said police are still working to understand the relationship between 51-year-old Hunt and 27-year-old Andrews, but their identities (white male and black female) match some of the suspect descriptions provided by victims.

Despite the signs linking Hunt and Andrews to the crimes, Cotner said he isn't ruling out that more people may be involved in the string of driveway robberies.

"We're very pleased we've been able to make this apprehension," he said. "The community has been very supportive in providing information to us, but we need to continue to be vigilant, because I'm not sure yet whether we have gotten all the individuals responsible for these offenses."

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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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