West Haven catalytic converter theft leads to attempted carjacking, assault of officer

A catalytic converter theft in West Haven led to an attempted carjacking and the assault of a police officer Wednesday and landed two suspects in jail.

The series of incidents began unfolding at 1:21 p.m. when a school resource officer at West Haven High School notified dispatch that two suspects in a Hyundai Elantra had stolen a catalytic converter from a vehicle parked in the school lot before leaving the area, according to the West

Haven Police Department.

The pair were spotted again on Main Street, where police said a detective sergeant saw them trying to steal another catalytic converter off of a vehicle.

Patrol officers then “flooded the area” as the suspects left in the Elantra before the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a parked car on First Avenue in the area of Elm Street, police said.

The suspects, identified as Charlie Martinez-rojas and Emmanuel Luna, fled the crashed car and Luna, still holding a reciprocating saw, tried to carjack a tow truck driver, according to police.

Police said Luna then turned and began assaulting an officer after the failed carjacking.

Martinez-rojas, who police noted is on federal probation for an attempted murder in Puerto Rico, was located shortly thereafter in a residential yard.

Luna faces charges of assault on a public safety officer, criminal attempt to commit robbery by carjacking, third-degree strangulation, interfering with an officer, possession of burglary tools and second-degree criminal mischief.

Martinez-rojas was charged with two counts of evading responsibility and a single count each of interfering with an officer, second-degree criminal mischief, possession of burglary tools, operation of a motor vehicle without insurance, operation of a motor vehicle without a license, reckless driving, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle on a sidewalk.