Downtown Dallas Driver’s License Office Disappears

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The only driver's license office in Downtown Dallas has closed, potentially adding to long lines at other license offices. This comes after DPS told NBC 5 Investigates there were no plans to close any DFW offices.

There is more frustration for North Texans trying to renew their driver's licenses.  The busy Department of Public Safety license office inside Dallas City Hall has shut down. Only an empty counter and some old computer wires remain after the DPS quietly moved out in mid-December.

Just last summer the top DPS official in charge of the Texas license offices told NBC 5 Investigates there were no plans to close any locations in the DFW area, as the DPS tries to reduce long lines and wait times that can last three hours or more especially during the busy summer months.

"We're not closing any offices.  We are opening brand new.  We are expanding our capacity to be able to serve that demand," said Rebecca Davio, director of the DPS License Division in an interview in July, 2012.

Davio was describing a multi-million-dollar DPS plan to open two new Dallas-Ft. Worth license Megacenters, one in Garland and one in Fort Worth.  The agency said the two giant facilities would only add to the current locations in an effort to cut wait times at all of the exiting offices.

So what changed?  Why would DPS close a busy license office when it's already struggling to keep up with demand?

DPS tells us it had no plans to leave Dallas City Hall.  Instead, the City of Dallas kicked them out.

"The decision was not a mutual one.  The city expressly asked DPS to leave the premises in October.  DPS had no plans to vacate the facility," said DPS spokesperson Tom Vinger.

City of Dallas spokesman Frank Librio responded saying, "We really never had adequate space for them to conduct their operations."  He described the office as "inadequate and overcrowded."

Because of new security measures in the works at City Hall, Librio said the city wanted to clear out the space. He points out DPS is free to lease another office anywhere in downtown Dallas. 

So far DPS has not done that.

But in an interview Thursday, DPS Director Steve McCraw said the agency will pull together money to open a new downtown Dallas location.

"Because of some of the savings we achieved in some other areas, we are going to prioritize a Dallas office in the downtown area and a Houston office in the downtown area because we've demonstrated the numbers need it", McCraw said.

DPS had plans to ask the legislature for millions of dollars to create new downtown offices in Dallas and Houston.  However, McCraw said the agency has decided to move ahead using existing funds instead.

Until DPS can find a new location, Downtown Dallas does not have a single driver's license office. 

The office at City Hall used to serve an average of 180 customers a day, or about 45,000 customers last year alone, according to DPS records.

When NBC 5 Investigates visited that office over the summer we found it was so crowded people were sitting on the floor, some waiting for hours. 

Since the City Hall location closed, a steady stream of customers continues to stop by during the day, surprised to find it's gone.

To get to the next closest DPS office they have to get on Interstate 35 and drive 10 miles south to Red Bird Lane, a trip that takes about 14 minutes each way if there's no traffic.

"It is an inconvenience, you know.  It's a waste of time and waste of bus fare," said Tobi Hicks who travelled to the City Hall office only to find it closed.

"You have to come down here waste gas and then go somewhere else I guess," said customer Emmanuel Dotson.

DPS hopes many customers will go to the new Garland Mega Center – which opened in December and is designed to handle 900 transactions every day above and beyond what the existing offices can handle. Now some of that new capacity will be taken up by thousands of customers who used to go to City Hall.

DPS is banking on the Mega Centers to reduce the long lines at all of the license offices. But the DFW population is growing fast and now the agency has lost an office in Dallas.  The Investigative Team will be watching over the spring and summer to see how well the Mega Centers really help improve wait times. 

The new Mega Center in Fort Worth on Brentwood Stair Road opened Feb. 1.

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Fake Energy Workers Tell Residents to Pay "Delinquent" Bills

NBC 5

Workers in the field will always carry identification, and people can ask for it if they are unsure if the worker is legitimate, Oncor says.

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Dallas police are warning residents about schemers posing as energy workers.

Investigators said people posing as energy workers are going door-to-door and ask residents to pay bills that they say are unpaid. The bogus workers tell residents that their power will be shut off if they don't pay.

But Oncor Electric Delivery says that workers who go to homes will never ask for payment on the spot.

Representatives in the field will always carry identification, and people can ask for it if they are unsure if the worker is legitimate, Oncor says.

Police and Oncor say the scheme can also happen over the phone. Dallas police say people should never give out personal information to anyone over the phone.

People should also verify the credentials of anyone who contacts them and claims they need to pay a delinquent bill, police say.

NBC 5's Amanda Guerra contributed to this report.

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Pet Store Accused of Selling Puppies With Parvo

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Mansfield Chief of Police Gary L. Fowler is opening an investigation into a local pet store after the NBC 5 Investigates Consumer Unit was alerted to claims by several families that they purchased puppies that were sick with parvovirus.

Three families who all said they bought their puppies at PetOrama in Mansfield told NBC 5 that their animals were diagnosed with parvovirus, a very contagious, aggressive virus that attacks a dog's intestinal track.

According to the families, two of the puppies had to be euthanized while one survived after an aggressive veterinary treatment that cost them more than $1,000.

While Fowler, who oversees animal control for the city, originally told NBC 5 he had no records of complaints against the store, he said he now plans to open an investigation.

In an unrelated move, PetOrama said it will stop adopting out puppies, but is holding one last adoption event this weekend to sell the remaining dogs at the store.

Families Claim Store Sold Them Sick Puppies

"Truly, I never thought that when you go into a pet store like that you would purchase a sick dog," said Penny Rivera, a Mansfield resident.

Rivera bought a shepherd-mix puppy named Leo as a Christmas present for 13-year-old Andrew Caraveo and his 21-year-old sister Jenny who had lost their beloved dog only a few months before.

"I picked Leo because he just looked really cute," said Jenny, who said she knew her brother would be delighted by the holiday surprise.

And he was.  Andrew immediately fell in love with the dog and made little Leo a doghouse out of a cardboard box.  He doted on him like any 13-year-old with a new puppy would.

But a few days later, Leo was vomiting, had diarrhea and was lethargic.

"He looked very sick," Andrew said.

A trip to the vet revealed Leo had a severe case of parvo.  Andrew and Jenny then made the gut-wrenching decision to put Leo to sleep.

"I knew how he looked and how tired he was, he wasn't going to make it," Andrew said.

 "We just said, 'Goodbye.' I mean, it was just really hard.  There was nothing we could really say to him," said Jenny, as tears streamed down her face.

Joanna McCoy and Phillip Kriesman know that pain. The couple bought a long-haired dachshund named Hudson at the same Mansfield PetOrama and it was love at first sight. 

"As soon as I picked him up I knew he was my dog," said McCoy. "I loved him. I was so happy."

They paraded Hudson to McCoy's mother's house and showed him off to other relatives. But that evening they rushed Hudson, who was throwing up, to an emergency veterinary hospital.  The veterinarian told the couple that little Hudson had parvo.

They too made the decision to put Hudson to sleep.

"I just couldn't feel myself afterwards. It was just so weird and upsetting," Kreisman said.

PetOrama to Stop Puppy Adoptions Due to Complaints

NBC 5 called PetOrama and spoke to Rochelle Browning, the daughter of the owner who said she manages the store for her father.

 She insisted she takes good care of the puppies and that her dogs are checked by a veterinarian.

"My veterinary bills are outrageous," Browning said. 

Browning admitted that Hudson, who died shortly after leaving her store, had parvo when she sold him. PetOrama's owner did refund McCoy and Kreisman for Hudson and she paid their vet bill, but they said it's little consolation.

"It's a heartache that no one should have to go through," said McCoy, who thinks about Hudson every day.

As for the other dogs, she believed they may have gotten sick after they left her store. Browning said her staff sanitizes cages daily but does not dispute the fact that parvo has up to a two-week incubation period.

The families said Leo and Hudson were visibly sick within days of being purchased.

Browning then became emotional, telling NBC 5 she's under extreme stress because so many puppies have gotten sick with parvo and customers have been very upset.

"I've never seen this before in my life.  Emotionally, I'm spent," Browning said. "I can't listen to people cry over the phone anymore."

On the company's Facebook page she told customers that PetOrama has decided to "stop adopting out puppies." But there will be one last adoption event this weekend to sell the remaining dogs.

"It's hard when you love pets like we do and have taken all the measures possible trying to prevent illness, but then get treated badly by customers when they do get ill," she wrote.

Parvo is extremely contagious because a dog can shed the virus before it ever shows signs of the illness.

"It's really hard to kill the virus. It's resistant to common disinfectants," said Dr. Nancy Turner, the Dallas District Director of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association.  "It's resistant to heat. It's resistant to sunlight. So, really, it's a tough bug essentially."

Turner, who practices at Bent Tree Animal Hospital in Dallas, said that by the time one puppy shows the signs there is a good chance other dogs could be infected.

State Offers No Legal Remedy for Purchase of Sick Dogs

Unlike some other states, Texas does not have a Lemon Law for dogs.

"There's no regulation of pet stores of any shape, form or fashion at the state level," said Skip Trimble, a Texas Humane Legislation Network board member.

Trimble's organization advocates for state animal welfare legislation. While there are rules and regulations for larger breeders at the state level, as of now, individual cities and towns may or may not have ordinances that can help pet owners.

"You're just totally at risk and virtually there is no warranty on these dogs," Trimble said.

The City of Mansfield does have an ordinance that gives animal control the authority to inspect pet stores.  It also mandates that anyone with care and control of an animal "maintain the animal in good health."

Fowler said that if a pet store fails to maintain the health of their animals they can impose a fine.

Fowler originally insisted he had no record of any complaints against PetOrama.  But McCoy said she called animal control and spoke with an officer several weeks ago.

"He said that unfortunately it's not in their jurisdiction and there's nothing that they could do for me,"  McCoy said.

However, after speaking with NBC 5, Fowler said he is now opening an investigation.

Rivera said Browning did not give her a refund for Leo or help with the vet bills.

Craig Haemker said he also received no help from the store after a puppy he purchased, Sophie, was diagnosed with parvo and required a $1,000 aggressive medical treatment to be rid of the virus.

Today, Sophie is a happy, healthy dog, but Jenny and Andrew are still reeling from losing Leo.

"That dog just meant the world to us," said Jenny.

They want to make sure other families don't suffer like they have.  That, they said, is Leo's legacy.

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Son's Last Message Inspires Newtown Mother

A chalkboard message from 6-year-old Sandy Hook victim Jesse Lewis inspires his mother to "Choose Love."

Son's Last Message Inspires Newtown Mother

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"Nurturing. Healing. Love."

Scarlett Lewis noticed the chalk-written message on her kitchen chalkboard when returning home for the first time – days after her son Jesse was taken from her on December 14th.  "It was in 6-year-old handwriting. Right about where he'd be standing," says Lewis from her Sandy Hook farmhouse.  "It's phonetically spelled. It's very clear what it says. I was stunned."

Lewis described her son as an "energetic, happy boy" whose personality could dominate a room. This type of message, however, was out of the ordinary for him but feels it was left for when she and her oldest son, J.T.  would need it most.

"He isn't the type of boy who would write that. He was loving and sweet and kind but that was a prophetic statement. I felt like it came from his spirit."

It was this same message that the single mom sent while eulogizing her son.  "I said 'I have something for you to do for us. That's to consciously change an angry thought into a loving one' because it is a choice."

It's now the mission of the newly formed Jesse Lewis Choose Love Foundation. Scarlet hopes it grows from the chalkboard to the pulpit to – one day – your child's classroom. She is meeting with professional educators to create a school curriculum that will be taught nationwide.

"This will be taught right along Math, Reading and Writing. It will be a life management course."
Lewis was the first family member to speak at Wednesday's Legislative Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety hearing held in Newtown. She says she is not looking to get involved in the political debate that has followed the shootings. Rather,  she will focus on a message that can be supported on all sides of the discussion.

"I feel like he wrote that message for a reason and handed me a torch. I'm gonna take it and hopefully – with everyone's help – change the world so this will never happen again."

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Cowboys' Ratliff Charged in Intoxicated-Driving Case

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Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Jay Ratliff has been charged with a Class A misdemeanor in connection with an intoxicated-driving arrest in Grapevine earlier this month.

Ratliff was arrested on suspicion of intoxicated driving after a collision with an 18-wheeler along state Highway 114 on Jan. 22.

Police were alerted to the crash by 911 calls shortly after the crash. The responding officers learned that Ratliff, who was driving a pickup truck, turned into the big rig before crashing into a barrier wall.

Grapevine police said lab results indicated that Ratliff had a blood-alcohol level of .16 at the time of his arrest.

After the crash, Ratliff failed a field sobriety test and then became verbally abusive as he refused to take a breath test. Officers obtained a warrant and forced him to submit to giving a blood sample.

Ratliff's arrest came less than a month after fellow defensive lineman Josh Brent was indicted on one count of intoxication manslaughter for his role in a one-car crash that killed teammate Jerry Brown Jr.

Ratliff will next appear in court Feb. 26.

If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.

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Friend of Slain Asst. DA Speaks Out

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Mark Hasse, the Kaufman County prosecutor gunned down Thursday, was a hard-working lawyer who "loved to tell stories" and often put dangerous criminals behind bars, a longtime friend says.

Kaufman defense attorney Eric Smenner said he first met Hasse when the two worked in Dallas in the 1990's.

He said Hasse as a pilot who loved to fly and that he had survived a plane crash in the mid-1990s.

"He had some pretty serious head injuries. It took him a while to get back. He had noticeable mark on his head, some scarring from the accident. He recovered from it," said Smenner.

Smenner added that while it was too soon to say what may have led to the shooting, Hasse had dealt with cases involving methamphetamine in the county, gangs and white supremacist groups.

"Any prosecutor will make enemies. When you stand up at trial and point your finger at them, sometimes they take that personally," Smenner said.

Smenner said Hasse was not married and rarely talked about his family, but "was a story teller.  He would talk to you for hours."

Former colleagues of Hasse's say the news of his death spread through the Frank Crowley Courts Building and is sending "shockwaves" through the legal community in Dallas.

Hasse worked for the Dallas County DA's office from 1982 to 1988, having earned his law degree from SMU in 1981 according to the State Bar of Texas' website.

Former Dallas County assistant district attorney Toby Shook said that Hasse was a felony prosecutor when he joined the DA's office.

"When I was a young prosecutor we use to watch because he was that talented," Shook said. "You'd learn a lot from him, he would talk about his cases, didn't mind sharing information and that kind of deal. Very friendly guy, talkative with everyone that kind of thing."

Shook says Hasse was one of the most talented prosecutors and targeted major drug dealers. Shook says he put "a lot of folks in prison" and was at one point the head of the DA's office Organized Crime Division.

Shook echoed Smenner's thoughts that prosecutors often deal with unpleasant individuals who may wish to do them harm.

"It's always in the back of your mind that something like that could happen because you're dealing with prosecuting very violent people who know violent people," Shook said. "And sometimes you hear of threats but it rarely, rarely happens."

Former Kaufman County District Attorney Rick Harrison, who is now a criminal defense attorney, said it was stressful and shocking news when he emerged from a murder trial at lunch.

"He was a, you know, very experienced prosecutor," Harrison said, "and enjoyed being a prosecutor, you know, enjoyed the job."

Shook says prosecuting was Hasse's life.

"Mark Hasse loved prosecuting more than anything," Shook said. "It was a job that he loved getting up in the morning and going to, he truly loved it you can tell that when talking to him. It was his life and he died doing it."

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Gun Rights Advocates March in FW Stockyards

Omar Villafranca, NBC 5 News

More than a dozen people marched through the Fort Worth Stockyards armed with rifles and shotguns, they say they're ready to fight for the right to openly carry their weapons in public.

Open Carry March Through the Stockyards

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More than a dozen men and women walked through the historic Fort Worth Stockyards armed with shotguns and semi-automatic rifles. But it wasn't an Old West re-enactment -- the group was there to push for the right to openly carry a handgun in Texas.

"It's part of my Second Amendment right," said Derek Hall, of Fort Worth. "It's written in the Constitution."

He brought along a semi-automatic Smith and Wesson M&P 15 and a Mossberg shotgun.

"They shouldn't have the ability to take it away from us or limit what we can have," Hall said.

Andy Welch, of North Richland Hills, also brought his semi-automatic rifle. He said he is worried that the current administration in Washington is trying to take his gun rights away.

Hall and Welch, along with other men and women of varying ages, brought along their weapons for a peaceful walk through the Stockyards. The group did a safety check beforehand to make sure the weapons were not loaded before the march started.

The march took place at a time when a bill in Austin, House Bill 700, would allow concealed handgun license owners to openly carry their weapons in public instead of concealing them.

Hall said it is a bill he can support.

"If you can conceal carry, why wouldn't you be able to open carry?" he said. "If the law tells you you're legal to own one, and you've gone through the classes and you're not a felon and you don't have everything against you, why shouldn't it be legal?"

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UNT Students Perform Jingle on "Today Show"

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It was a busy week for two University of North Texas students who went from attending class to performing live on national television Tuesday morning.

UNT juniors Kayley Walker, a radio, television and film major, and Andrew Walker, a music major, make up the musical duo The Walkers. The musicians were one of three acts to perform live on NBC's "Today Show" as part of the show's "Quest for the Best" contest.

The two, who happen to share the same last name but aren't actually related, wrote a jingle for the show in Tuesday's "Quest for the Best" installment. The Walkers performed to see whose melody among the three contestants would be named the best.

The Walkers found out their submission had been selected as a finalist around mid-January.

"I called him like a hundred times," said Kayley Walker, who got the call while Walker was in class.

NBC flew the duo out to New York City on Monday for their Tuesday performance.

"We woke up at four in the morning and then we had to get there at the studio at six," said Kayley Walker. The two barely got any sleep in anticipation of their performance, Andrew Walker added.

As the two warmed up for their performance, they got a behind the scenes look at the show and got a glimpse of their favorite "Today Show" anchors.

The Walkers took the stage at about 8 a.m., performing second in the contest.

The duo's original jingle was not picked to win, but they say the experience and exposure was the real reward.

"Now they've seen us, like a lot of people watch the "Today Show,"' said Andrew Walker.

The Walkers first met back in middle school in Arlington. They became friends during their junior year of high school when they found out both would attend UNT.

"We found out we were both going to UNT and started writing music together freshman year," said Andrew Walker.

The two continue to play their acoustic sounds at coffee shops and other venues in Denton and Arlington.

The Walkers hope the "Today Show" buzz will help them reach new audiences.

"The Walkers aren't finished yet!" said Kayley Walker.

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Kaufman Co. Asst. DA Gunned Down Near Courthouse

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Kaufman County Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse was gunned down Thursday morning in what appears to be a targeted attack, police say.

Hasse was shot multiple times while walking from the parking lot toward the county courthouse at about 8 a.m., officials said. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later died.

When asked if Hasse appeared to have been targeted by his attacker, Kaufman County Sheriff David Byrnes said: "I would say from all appearances it is, but we have no concrete information on that. We're pursuing every avenue right now."

Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney Mike McLelland said the county suffered a "devastating loss."

Investigators Search for Assistant D.A.'s Killer

Investigators are searching for two suspects believed to have shot Kaufman County Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse. Authorities believe they fled in a brown or silver older model Ford Taurus.

Shooting of Mark Hasse Shakes Community

The shooting of Kaufman County Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse shocked the quiet community of Kaufman.

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"We lost a really, really good man. He was an excellent friend and a spectacular prosecutor," he said. "He will not be easily replaced. He will be sorely missed by everybody in the office. I hope that the people that did this are watching, because we are very confident that we are going to find you, pull you out of whatever hole you're in, bring you back and let the people of Kaufman County prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law."

Chris Aulbaugh, the Kaufman chief of police, said no official arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. Police are following up on several leads, including multiple witness reports from various angles around the crime scene, he said.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI, the Texas Rangers and state troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety are at the scene assisting local and county law enforcement with the investigation.

Police said witnesses have reported two shooters wearing all black, one or both of them possibly wearing a tactical-type vest, and driving an older, silver Ford Taurus. Aulbaugh said they have not yet confirmed that there were two people involved in the shooting and if the shooter(s) were wearing a tactical jacket as described.

Police taped off the parking lot near the Tax Assessor/Collectors office, which is near the courthouse and is commonly used by judges and prosecutors. Officers later expanded the taped-off area to include two city blocks. Several streets around the courthouse and parking lot are closed as the shooting is investigated.

Investigators said they were not aware of any threats made toward Hasse and that they didn't know of any cases that might explain the shooting, but that Hasse was aware of the dangers associated with his profession.

"Mark was fully aware of the dangers of this job. He accepted them readily and was, as I said before, an absolutely stellar prosecutor and good friend," said McLelland. "Tell the people that they have lost an outstanding man who will not be easily replaced."

Eric Smenner, a friend of Hasse's, told NBC 5's Scott Gordon that while it was too soon to say what may have led to the shooting, Hasse had dealt with cases involving methamphetamine in the county, gangs and white supremacist groups. He described Hasse as a hard-working lawyer who "loved to tell stories" and often put dangerous criminals behind bars.

Tonya Radcliffe, a board member on the Kaufman County Appraisal District whose office is adjacent to the scene of the shooting, said a staff member heard the gunshots and called police. Radcliffe said she and her staff of about 25 are in the building and under lockdown.

During the early stages of the investigation, a hospital, several schools and county buildings, including the Tax Assessor/Collector's office, were locked down as a precaution.  With Thursday being the last day for people to pay property taxes without a penalty, officials advised Kaufman County residents that they could still pay taxes using the county's pay by phone option or make payments in person at sub-courthouses and drop boxes.

A reward of at least $34,000 from Kaufman County Crime Stoppers and other sources is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman. The reward is expected to increase as other donations come in.

Anyone with information is asked to call Kaufman County Crime Stoppers at 1-877-TIPS-KCC. As always, tipsters may remain anonymous.

We will continue to update this story with more information as soon as it's available. As this story is developing, elements may change.

Editor's Note: Greenville ISD was locked down because of a search for robbery suspects. The lockdown was not related to the Kaufman County shooting.

NBC 5's Randy McIlwain, Scott Gordon, Ken Kalthoff, Keaton Fox and Deborah Ferguson contributed to this report.

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