Dallas police officers spotted a white Dodge Charger traveling the wrong way down a one-way street with its headlights off early Monday, and what they found inside would turn a routine traffic stop into a felony case. The driver, later identified as 23-year-old Daniel Sandoval, was sweating profusely and appeared unable to operate the car's headlights, according to officers on scene.
The Charger, officers soon discovered, belonged to a sergeant with the Dallas College Police Department, and it was packed with police uniforms, emergency lights, gear and a dashcam sitting in plain view, according to FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Officers spotted the vehicle around 2:10 a.m. Monday, and confirmed Sandoval was not its registered owner. He was initially taken into custody for multiple traffic violations before the scope of what he was driving became clear.
Badge, Vests and 500 Rounds of Ammunition Recovered
A search of the stolen Charger turned up a police badge, multiple police-issued shirts, bulletproof vests and roughly 500 rounds of duty ammunition, per the same report. The recovered equipment bore the registered owner's name, helping officers quickly trace the vehicle back to the Dallas College sergeant, who was reportedly unaware his vehicle was even missing. Video footage confirmed Sandoval had entered the Charger about an hour before he was pulled over.
Dallas Police Department Assistant Chief Teena Schultz credited the officers involved, saying they demonstrated “vigilance and investigative tenacity.” All of the recovered gear and property was returned to the sergeant at the scene, and the department has assigned the case number 116802-2026 as its investigation continues.
Charges Focus on Unauthorized Use, Not Grand Theft
Sandoval was arrested for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and traffic offenses and booked into the Dallas County jail. Under Texas Penal Code § 31.07, that charge is a state jail felony punishable by 180 days to two years in state jail and a fine of up to $10,000, according to Brian Foley Law. Unlike theft under § 31.03, unauthorized use only requires prosecutors to prove the vehicle was operated without the owner's consent, not that the driver intended to permanently keep it — a distinction commonly applied when a vehicle is recovered shortly after being taken, per Mark Diaz Law.
The presence of tactical gear, uniforms and a badge inside the Charger raises the possibility of additional charges. Texas Penal Code § 37.11 makes impersonating a public servant — including using law enforcement gear to feign official authority — a third-degree felony carrying two to 10 years in state prison and fines up to $10,000, according to L&L Law Group. Whether prosecutors pursue that charge would depend on evidence that Sandoval intended to exercise pretended police authority, a question the ongoing Dallas Police Department investigation has not yet resolved.
Immigration Hold Adds to Sandoval's Detention
According to the Dallas County jail roster, Sandoval is also subject to an immigration hold. Police affidavits describe him as homeless. Under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Art. 2.251, county jails are required to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers, holding subjects for up to 48 hours past their state release eligibility — a mandate reinforced by Texas Senate Bill 4, which threatens misdemeanor charges against officials who don't comply.
That means even if bond were set on the state charges, Sandoval would still face additional time in custody at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center, which holds between 500 and 700 inmates on ICE detainers on any given day, according to the Dallas Observer. That detainer volume has contributed to jail capacity pressure that pushed the facility's total population above 7,100 inmates in late 2025, the outlet reported.
A Pattern of Stolen Police Vehicles in North Texas
The Dallas College Police Department patrols seven campuses across Dallas County as a unified, state-recognized law enforcement agency serving a system of roughly 100,000 students and nearly 3,000 employees. Its downtown El Centro campus jurisdiction overlaps directly with Dallas Police Department and DART transit police, with campus officers regularly providing mutual aid on city streets, according to Police1.
This is not the first time a North Texas law enforcement vehicle has ended up in a suspect's hands. In June, a suspect stole a Dallas Police squad car before crashing on I-20, and in a separate incident that same month, a handcuffed suspect commandeered a squad car in northwest Dallas — though both of those cases involved high-speed pursuits or physical struggles inside the vehicles, unlike Monday's traffic stop. Citywide, motor vehicle thefts in Dallas actually fell 22.9% during the 2024–2025 fiscal year, dropping from 7,845 to 6,051 reported offenses, per city crime data, even as this case underscores the outsized risk when the stolen vehicle itself belongs to police.
Key questions remain unanswered, including how Sandoval gained entry to the sergeant's vehicle and whether it was left unlocked or running. It is also unclear whether Dallas police will pursue additional weapons or impersonation charges as the investigation continues.
