Broadway bargoer robbed at gunpoint by fake rideshare drivers
According to court documents, on March 30, 2025, the man left a bar on Broadway and got into a vehicle that he believed to be a rideshare vehicle or taxi. Inside the vehicle were 31-year-old Dakota Blunt and another woman.
Tennessee bill to make impersonating rideshare, taxi drivers a crime gains bipartisan support
The man told authorities that after the car left the Broadway area, one suspect pulled out a gun and demanded his wallet and phone.
The suspects then left the victim and fled with his belongings.
During the investigation, it was discovered that a new credit card was opened in the victim's name without his knowledge and approximately $18,000 was fraudulently charged to his bank accounts.
⏩
Surveillance footage from the locations where the fraudulent charges were made were used to identify Blunt and the other individual. No information was released about the status of the second person accused in the case.
Blunt was charged with felony identity theft, felony property theft, felony aggravated robbery and felony aggravated kidnapping. Her bond is set at $235,000.
📲 Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go.📧 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.💻 for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.
This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
DOJ Asks Judge to Release Epstein Grand Jury Testimony
The mug shot of Jeffrey Epstein, 2019. Credit - Kypros/Getty Images The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday asked a federal judge to release the transcripts of grand jury testimony made against Jeffrey Epstein years ago, as the Trump Administration faces a wave of criticism from lawmakers and the public over its handling of the late sex offender's case. The move comes after President Donald Trump said he asked Attorney General Pam Bondi 'to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,' amid the heightened interest in the Epstein case. In its filing, the DOJ writes that even after it and the FBI concluded their review of the case, 'the public's interest in the Epstein matter has remained.' 'Given this longstanding and legitimate interest, the government now moves to unseal grand jury transcripts associated with Epstein,' the filing reads. It adds that officials will 'redact all victim-identifying information' before releasing any documents. The renewed interest in the case involving the convicted sex offender and disgraced billionaire financier began earlier this month, after the DOJ and FBI released a memo in which investigators concluded that Epstein didn't have a 'client list' of co-conspirators and that his 2019 death in jail was a suicide. Epstein has been the subject of conspiracy theories for years, particularly among Trump's MAGA supporters. Trump and his Administration have since tried to dismiss concerns about the Epstein case, sparking anger and frustration from many of the President's own supporters over how he has handled the case. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called for transparency, demanding a full disclosure of the Epstein files. Amid the outcry, Trump's years-long relationship with Epstein has drawn heightened attention. The request by the DOJ comes on the same day that Trump filed a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal's parent firms Dow Jones and News Corp, its owner Rupert Murdoch, and two reporters after the Journal published an article alleging that Trump sent a 'bawdy' letter to Epstein in 2003. Trump has denied writing the letter, telling the Journal, 'It's not my language. It's not my words.' Contact us at letters@
CBS News
23 minutes ago
- CBS News
Trump files $10 billion lawsuit over Wall Street Journal's Jeffrey Epstein report
President Trump on Friday filed a libel lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal's publisher and its leader, Rupert Murdoch, after the paper published a story on what it called a "bawdy" birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein that the paper alleged was signed by Mr. Trump. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of Florida, seeks at least $10 billion in damages. It alleges the paper's claims were "false, defamatory, unsubstantiated, and disparaging," and accuses the Journal of "clear journalistic failures." The paper claimed the letter, from the early 2000s, featured Mr. Trump's signature as well as a birthday message and a drawing of a nude woman. According to the Journal's report, it was collected in a book along with letters from other friends and acquaintances to mark Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003. The president has denied the report, calling the letter a "FAKE." The president has previously acknowledged he crossed paths with Epstein years ago, but has said they had a "falling out." The suit names the Journal's publisher, Dow Jones & Company, along with its parent company, News Corporation. Also named in the lawsuit as defendants are Wall Street Journal reporters Joseph Palazzolo and Khadeeja Safdar, the bylines on the Epstein story, as well as Murdoch and Dow Jones CEO Robert Thomson. In a Truth Social post, Mr. Trump referred to it as a "POWERHOUSE Lawsuit" and a "historic legal action." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit. CBS News has also reached out to Dow Jones for comment. Facing pressure to disclose more details on Epstein, who died in his jail cell in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges, Mr. Trump on Thursday ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Epstein. The Justice Department late Friday filed a motion to unseal that grand jury testimony. Epstein was investigated by federal authorities in Florida in the 2000s, which ended in a non-prosecution agreement and a guilty plea on state prostitution charges, and he was later charged with child sex trafficking in Manhattan in 2019. The government also secured a conviction against Epstein's co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell. It investigated the circumstances of Epstein's death in federal custody, which was deemed a suicide. The order from Mr. Trump comes after the Justice Department and FBI released a memo stating that Epstein did not have an incriminating "client list," did not try to blackmail any prominent figures, and died by suicide. The memo drew backlash from across the political spectrum, including from some fervent Trump backers, in part because Bondi and other administration figures had promised to release information on Epstein.
New York Times
23 minutes ago
- New York Times
Trump Asked a Court to Unseal Epstein Grand Jury Testimony
The Justice Department asked a federal judge this afternoon to unseal grand jury testimony from the prosecution of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. President Trump had requested the move in an effort to dispel a storm of criticism and conspiracy theories coming from many of his supporters. The request was filed in Manhattan, where Epstein was awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges six years ago when he was found dead by hanging in his jail cell about a month after he was arrested. The government also sought the unsealing of grand jury testimony from the case of Ghislaine Maxwell, the socialite who was convicted of helping Epstein facilitate his sex trafficking scheme. You can read the Justice Department's full request here. Obtaining court approval for unsealing the testimony could be difficult because the records are shielded by grand jury secrecy laws, to protect crime victims and witnesses. Judges rarely agree to grant public access to such materials. In related news, Trump sued The Wall Street Journal's parent company over a report that he sent a birthday greeting with a sexually suggestive drawing to Epstein in 2003. The president insisted he doesn't 'draw pictures,' but many of his sketches have sold at action. A prisoner swap freed Americans jailed in Venezuela Ten Americans and U.S. permanent residents who had been seized by the Venezuelan authorities and held as bargaining chips were freed today. In exchange, more than 200 Venezuelan migrants whom the Trump administration sent to a prison in El Salvador were also released. Venezuela's government began detaining and imprisoning foreigners late last year. Among them was Lucas Hunter, a 37-year-old U.S. and French citizen whose family said he visited the region to go kite surfing, and Wilbert Castañeda, a 37-year-old former Navy Seal who had traveled to Venezuela to meet a romantic partner. The Venezuelan migrants had been deported from the U.S. after the Trump administration accused them of being members of a Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. Most of the roughly 250 men did not have criminal records, beyond immigration offenses. Trump's public media cuts were decades in the making In the 50 years since President Lyndon Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act into law, PBS, NPR and other public broadcasters in the United States have received more than $500 million annually from the government. That support now appears to be over, after the House gave final approval to the cuts. Some conservatives have been calling for an end to the funding for decades, arguing that organizations like NPR and PBS had a liberal bias. In a video, Benjamin Mullin, a media reporter for The Times, talks about the impact the cuts will have. Once the payments stop in the fall, more than 100 combined TV and radio stations in rural pockets of the country will be at risk of going dark. This map shows the stations at the most risk. A Kennedy aide's company can get you a tax break for hot dogs An insomnia diagnosis yielded a recommendation for hot dogs. An acne diagnosis called for classes at a mixed-martial-arts gym. And as an added bonus, the purchases can be made thorough a tax-free account because they were blessed by a medical provider. Such tax benefits are made possible by the wellness start-up Truemed, which was co-founded by Calley Means, a close aide to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary. It helps people obtain letters attesting to a medical need for such products, which one critic called 'a tax break for upper-middle-class people.' More top news Los Angeles: Three sheriff's deputies were killed in an explosion at a training center. The cause is under investigation. Brazil: The Supreme Court ordered Jair Bolsonaro, the former president, to wear an ankle monitor and stay home most hours, defying Trump's demands to drop charges against him. Education: With a crucial hearing scheduled for Monday, the government is demanding more information about staff members and international students from Harvard University. Health: In a rare look into a largely hidden subject, The Times found that prescription drug denial rates by private insurers in the U.S. jumped 25 percent from 2016 to 2023. Energy: Chevron completed its purchase of Hess after prevailing in a legal dispute with Exxon Mobil over one of the most promising oil projects in the world. Fossils: The anatomy of a newly discovered Pulaosaurus offered a hint that birdsong may be as old as the dinosaurs themselves. Lives Lived: Felix Baumgartner, a professional daredevil who did a skydive from the edge of space in 2012, died at 56. A star ballerina says goodbye Gillian Murphy, one of American Ballet Theater's most enduring talents, is stepping down after 29 years with the company. Tonight, Murphy, 46, will dance her final performance, Odette-Odile in 'Swan Lake,' opposite her friend James Whiteside. It's a complicated ballet, and Whiteside said it was 'completely unhinged' to go out with something so arduous. But that's the kind of ballerina Murphy always has been: full of joy and aplomb. Elsewhere in the performing arts world: 'Chicago' and 'A Chorus Line' are now 50 years old. We asked a Broadway star to show us the moves that made them so special. Everything you need to know about campfire cooking The summer is always a great time to escape into the great outdoors. And with a little bit of planning, you can enjoy some remarkable meals made over a campfire. Take it from Ali Slagle, who writes recipes for The Times and travels the country in a camper van. Ali put together a guide answering all of the most common reader questions about cooking over crackling flames. She explains what supplies to bring, how to build and manage the fire, as well as what kind of recipes work best. Dinner table topics Extra! Extra!: Read all about the last newspaper hawker in Paris. 'Alt comedy': The term has fallen out of fashion, but the experimental spirit of the genre lives on. Amateur sleuth: In retirement, Lou Schachter decided to hunt for stolen artworks. He's had some success. Make a ruling: Should you silence your phone around your spouse? Cook: This no-bake peaches and cream cake is the perfect end to a summer meal. Watch: 'Smurfs' is one of the movies that got our critics talking this week. Read: Here are seven new books we love. Listen: This calm and graceful cello piece by Bach could change your day. Admire: New York's best summer art shows are upstate. Here's what to check out. Travel: These are the basketball star A'ja Wilson's five favorite places in Las Vegas. Consider: Is 'joyspan' the key to aging well? Test yourself: Take this week's news quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. With just 5 fingers, he makes the sound of so many hands Twenty years ago, Nicholas McCarthy was turned away from his local music school. He had been born without a right hand, and a school official doubted he could play piano adequately. Now McCarthy is set to prove his doubters wrong. He is the leading pianist for a concert this weekend at the Proms, Britain's most prominent classical music series. McCarthy has established his success by mastering pieces composed for the left hand alone — some written by a pianist hoping to wow audiences by smoking with his right hand. When my colleague Alex Marshall watched McCarthy perform, he was stunned: 'It was hard to believe McCarthy was producing all that emotion, all that sound, with two hands, let alone just one.' Have a superb weekend. Thanks for reading. I'll be back on Monday. — Matthew Hiroko Masuike was our photo editor. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@
