Two 18-year-old men are facing charges after deputies say an early-morning vehicle burglary spree on San Antonio's far West Side ended with a stolen truck crashed into a parked car and one suspect in the hospital. Around 5 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to reports in the Honeycutt Road area and tracked down a black pickup that had been reported stolen. According to investigators, the driver slammed into a parked vehicle, took off on foot, was later detained and then evaluated at a local hospital.
Deputies say surveillance video from the neighborhood shows two suspects moving through the area, pulling on door handles of several vehicles while armed with a handgun. Additional attempted burglaries were later identified in the Midnight Rain and Midnight Run neighborhoods, and authorities recovered the stolen pickup as they opened a broader criminal investigation into the incidents.
According to News4SanAntonio, the driver was identified as 18-year-old Dwayne Thomas. He faces charges that include evading with a vehicle with a previous conviction, unlawful carrying of a weapon, unauthorized use of a vehicle and duty on striking an unattended vehicle. Deputies later detained 18-year-old Abel Hernandez, who was charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon, the sheriff's office said. Investigators are asking anyone with related surveillance footage to email [email protected] as the probe continues.
String of late-night break-ins rattles far West Side
The case taps into an uneasy pattern for the area. In March, deputies said two people died after a crash that followed reports of vehicle burglaries in a nearby neighborhood, an incident that drew scrutiny of patrol responses and triggered an internal look at what went wrong. MySA reported on that crash and on the sheriff's comments about deputies finding video of suspects checking doors during the early-morning hours. The latest arrests have only added to the jitters, with some residents calling for more vigilance and attention to overnight patrols.
Sheriff's office leans on basic precautions
The sheriff's office is once again repeating the simple but often ignored advice that surfaced in the initial reporting: take valuables and firearms out of vehicles and make sure every door is locked. News4SanAntonio also noted BCSO's request that anyone who spots suspicious activity call the dispatch line rather than trying to confront anyone themselves. The county's official site lists Bexar County dispatch at 210-335-6000 for non-emergencies; in an emergency, callers are directed to dial 911, according to Bexar County.
Anyone with tips or video is encouraged to share it with investigators as they sort out which vehicles were targeted and whether the two suspects might be tied to other thefts across the city. Both men remain in custody while their cases move through the local criminal-justice system.
