North Texas man arrested for luring children into his truck

Dallas police arrested a 69-year-old man and charged him with trying to lure children into his truck.

Police say Paul McDonnold started a conversation with a group of kids on April 14 as they were walking home from school Thursday afternoon. Two women saw what was happening and took action.

Beth, who asked FOX 4 to show her face or give her full name, was in her own car and heard the kids scream "no", then run back towards the school. Beth followed the truck half a block while another witness, a mom in a separate car, pulled in front of the truck.

“She pulled right in front of him and stopped him dead in his tracks,” said Beth.

The two women had him blocked.

When I got out of the car and asked, ‘what the “h” are you trying to do?’” said Beth. “And he said, ‘I made a mistake’ and I said, ‘Save it! I already have the police on the line. You can explain it to them.’"

Beth took photos as they waited 30 minutes for the first officers to arrive. They were afraid the suspect would try to leave. He didn't.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, McDonnold asked the children about their homework then asked the kids if they wanted a ride. He's facing two counts of attempted unlawful restraint -- a misdemeanor.

Rachel Brown is the mother of two of the kids, twin 11-year-old girls, who were walking home from school that day.

“I think that he was trying to pick them up,” said Brown. “You don't know them. You have never seen them in your life. You have no reason to pull over and talk to them. Period. At all.”

Brown wants to know what the man was up to and is glad for the witnesses who tried to find out, too.

“Thank God for good citizens,” said Brown. “They care about their neighborhood and the children that go to school.”

Dallas police published McDonnold's mugshot on Monday calling it a community awareness bulletin and asking for anyone with information about the suspect to give detectives a call.