DeAnthony Marquise Brown

Another suspect in the recent theft of catalytic converters in Tyler has been arrested and a third has been identified.

Police were looking for Andre Tyrell Pete, 25, and Darius Reggie, 20, both of Houston in connection with the Jan. 28 catalytic converter thefts in Tyler that were discovered after a traffic stop led to a crash involving a Tyler police car, department spokesman Andy Erbaugh said in a statement Friday morning.

In a statement later Friday, Erbaugh said Pete was arrested in Houston and booked into Harris County Jail. He will be moved to Smith County to face the charges, he said.

Officials obtained warrants for the two on charges of aggravated assault of a public servant, engaging in organized criminal activity, evading arrest or detention and four counts of theft of material for the suspects, according to Erbaugh. Bonds on the charges total $1.15 million.

Officers responded at about 4:45 a.m. on Jan. 28 to an apartment complex in the 300 block of Chimney Road Drive about a suspicious vehicle. Reports were that the vehicle would stop, a person would exit and go between parked cars.

When police arrived to the complex, they say a car leaving the area. They followed the vehicle and tried to make a traffic stop on it, but it fled driving onto Old Grande Boulevard going the wrong direction toward South Broadway Avenue, police said.

The car was moving “at a high rate of speed” toward a Tyler Police Department vehicle on South Broadway Avenue and struck the patrol vehicle.

The officer in the patrol car received minor injuries.

Three suspects fled the car that struck the patrol vehicle. One of the suspects was caught by officers. He was identified as DeAnthony Marquise Brown, 19, of Houston.

Brown was booked into Smith County Jail on charges of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle and aggravated assault of a public servant. He has since had other charges added and was being held Friday on bonds totaling $1.15 million.

A search of the suspects’ vehicle revealed multiple catalytic converters and “other evidence,” according to Erbaugh.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Tyler police at (903) 531-1000 or Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at (903) 597-2833.