Two teens charged after alleged Columbia carjacking

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Police arrested two 19-year-old men early Friday after calls of people breaking into cars on the Columbia College campus and a carjacking.

Prosecutors filed charges against Emmanuel Ernest and Ja'Marion Dalton, 19, Friday morning with vehicle hijacking, armed criminal action and stealing a vehicle.

Court documents state that officers were called for three people breaking into cars in the Columbia College parking lot at 1001 Rogers St around 11 p.m. Wednesday. Seven vehicles were broken into, according to police.

Officers used security footage to identify Ernest, Dalton and a juvenile entering vehicles. A police lieutenant made contact with the three around 12:17 a.m. in the 1300 block of Wilkes Blvd wearing different clothing.

Two vehicles were stolen from separate locations early Thursday morning, according to documents. A victim told police a man pulled a handgun on him and said, "Get out, give me everything." Police said the victim gave them his car, a 2018 Toyota CH-R.

The second victim reported her 2020 black Ford Explorer SUV was stolen from the 1400 block of Wilkes Blvd around 6:30 a.m. Thursday. Police said that vehicle was seen on video footage at Schneider's Electric, where two employee vehicles were broken into around 3:11 a.m.

Columbia Police Department said it used Flock license plate readers to locate both stolen vehicles.

Court documents state a detective located the 2018 Toyota C-HR outside Dalton's home on Paris Road. Both Ernest and Dalton were taken into custody. Police said they found the 2020 key fob inside Dalton's pocket.

Police said during a search warrant of the apartment, officers found a pink backpack seen on surveillance footage. A Ruger P95 9MM handgun with a brown grip was found inside the backpack, stolen from Ohio. Multiple rounds of ammunition were also located.

Investigators reported finding the victims' credit cards in the bedroom along with a home decor mirror from the Ford Explorer. The same clothing the men in the video footage were wearing was also found.

Both have prior criminal histories in Ohio for similar crimes, according to police.

Both men were in the Boone County Jail on Friday morning with no bond. A mugshot of Dalton was not available.