Woman says teens stole her car before crashing into South Dallas pizzeria

A stolen car crashed into a South Dallas pizza restaurant Monday, leaving several injured, a business in turmoil and a young mother without transportation.

For two women, it was a day they would not soon forget.

Dorothy Jones, owner of the popular Black Jack Pizza, was enjoying herself on Monday morning, doing the things she usually does on her day off, when she got the call.

Across town, Taylor Hunter, a young, struggling mother of two, was finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. She was happy because she finally had a home for her family and, on Tuesday, she was set to start a job that was paying well over the Texas minimum wage.

She also had a new car, which she was using Monday to transport her children to doctor’s appointments.

That is until two young men hopped into her car and sped off, she said.

Hunter admits she shouldn’t have left the keys in the car but said she was running into her apartment for a quick moment between errands

Before she knew what was happening, the car was gone. The next time she saw her car, it was lodged into the front entrance of Black Jack Pizza, surrounded by broken glass and other debris.

As she turned her head, she witnessed “two young kids” in handcuffs as they were put into a Dallas police car.

She remembered seeing them at her apartment complex.

With emotions that ranged from anger to despair, she talked about how she was “finally getting things together. And then this happens. I just can’t seem to get a break. Just when I thought everything was falling into place — I start a new job tomorrow, making a decent salary — now this.”

When Jones finally arrived and walked up to the popular eatery, she was immediately met by customers, bystanders and family members who were concerned about her as much as they were the pizzeria.

For her part, Jones was more concerned about the well-being of the people who were injured in the crash, as well as her customers, employees and, yes, the perpetrators.

Black Jack opens at noon and hadn’t been open long when the accident occurred, sending at least one patron to the hospital.

Upon hearing about the plight of the young mother who now does not have a car to get to her new job, Jones expressed concern.

”I wish there was something that we could do,” she said, adding that she felt bad that the “young lady was having to deal with” the situation.

Jones’ focus on others is just one reason she’s known as The “Matriarch of Martin Luther King Blvd.,” residents said.

Longtime friend and customer Zachary Thompson said Jones and Black Jack Pizza are deserving of support.

“The community has to rally around Black Jack and help them to come back stronger,” he said as he watched the removal of debris from the building. “We have employees here who will be out of work, and they need our support.”

His sentiments were echoed as folks gathered, talking about fundraisers, GoFundMe accounts and more.

The thieves, who all appeared to be minors, were not named. But they reportedly did quite a bit in a short amount of time, including changing a spare tire and stopping at a store to get some drinks that were still cold when removed from the vehicle once it was towed from the building, more than two hours later.

”They also threw my cell phone and purse out of the car,” said Turner, as she choked back tears. “I’m frustrated. I’m trying so hard. I don’t need this.”