Latest news with #DakotaBlunt
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
Broadway bargoer robbed at gunpoint by fake rideshare drivers
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man was defrauded of thousands of dollars after he was robbed at gunpoint by two women who allegedly impersonated a rideshare service. 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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
New Tennessee law criminalizes rideshare driver impersonation after Broadway robbery
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A new law that went into effect July 1 makes pretending to be a rideshare or taxi driver a crime in Tennessee following an armed robbery and fraud incident on Broadway. According to court documents, on March 30, 2025, a 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, who allegedly held the victim at gunpoint, took his phone and wallet, fraudulently opened a credit card in his name, and made $18,000 worth of charges to his bank account. Metro police arrested 31-year-old Dakota Blunt and charged her with felony identity theft, felony property theft, felony aggravated robbery, and felony aggravated kidnapping. Broadway bargoer robbed at gunpoint by fake rideshare drivers However, had the crime happened after July 1, officials also could have considered charging her with rideshare impersonation. A new state law makes pretending to be a rideshare or taxi driver a Class B misdemeanor, and a Class E felony if the suspect is committing another felony at the same time. 'For me, it's about deterrence,' Rep. Elaine Davis (R-Knoxville) told News 2 in March. Uber and Lyft approached her with the idea, which she combined with Rep. Dan Howell's (R-Cleveland) bill targeting fake taxi drivers. 'Those companies and those corporations, they invest a lot of time and money to ensure that those drivers have valid driver's licenses, carry insurance, do background checks, and all of that is done for those passengers to feel safe and secure using those services,' Davis said. ⏩ Rep. Davis told News 2 the law isn't about locking people up. She hopes it sends a message to those considering impersonating a rideshare driver before they commit the act. 'Hopefully, people don't want to go to jail. That's really the message is we'll put you in jail for this,' Davis said. 'That's the seriousness of what we're wanting to make sure people understand is we want to protect our communities, and we'll do whatever it takes to keep people safe.' Blunt is currently being held in the Davison County jail on a $235,000 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
