HOUSTON – New details were revealed after a man accused of trying to carjack a TV news crew and stealing a police patrol unit appeared in court.
Alex Jenkins faces four felony charges stemming from Monday’s incident. A judge denied him bail.
In court, it was revealed that Jenkins is accused of stealing a car from a newspaper delivery man at a gas station. He told police he had been robbing people all morning.
Investigators said as he was driving around, the car got low on gas and that’s when he spotted a KPRC news van. Jenkins told police he rammed into them and tried to carjack the crew but was unsuccessful.
He said he was hoping to use their news equipment to “get his message out.” Two officers taking a 16-year-old in a transport car saw the crash and stopped to help.
Police said Jenkins attacked them and stole their patrol unit with the teen inside. He dropped the juvenile off a few blocks away and then crashed the patrol unit near Old Spanish Trail and Spur 5.
Police were able to catch him from there with the help of police from the University of Houston.
Police said he admitted to all the charges and seemed very distant in court.