One of two people connected with Tuesday’s apparent assault on Haverhill police officers and a related gun firing was arraigned in District Court on an older warrant related to alleged store thefts.
According to Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office, 26-year-old Christopher Roque-Joaquin of Lawrence was arrested sometime following a 11:38 a.m., incident at McDonalds restaurant on Main Street in Haverhill and an ensuing chase that ended in Lawrence.
Tucker’s spokesman Michael Keefe-Feldman said Tuesday Haverhill police officers approached two people in a car at the restaurant as part of an investigation, reporting, “After officers approached the vehicle, the driver backed up into multiple police vehicles, struck an officer then proceeded to drive forward at other officers. A Haverhill officer then discharged his firearm.”
Tucker’s office confirmed Roque-Joaquin was the person taken to the hospital with injuries, but did not specify the cause of the injuries. It also was not immediately spelled out whether the prior alleged thefts were the focus of Tuesday’s initial police investigation, but did report the “car chase incident remains under investigation.”
Concerning the prior alleged thefts, Keefe-Feldman said, Roque-Joaquin allegedly “stole cases of Red Bull from a Market Basket grocery store on two occasions and was thwarted during a third attempt.” He was charged with two counts of larceny under $1,200 and attempting to commit a crime. According to police reports, the alleged thefts and attempted theft took place in April, July and August of this year.
Roque-Joaquin was also charged with two counts of being a fugitive from justice due to outstanding warrants issued in New Hampshire related to alleged theft from a Walmart and receiving a stolen vehicle. A Haverhill Police Department log lists Roque-Joaquin’s arrest taking place Tuesday night on Ninth Avenue. An explanation of the disparate timing was not provided.
Roque-Joaquin was ordered held on $25,000 bail by Haverhill District Court Judge Susan H. McNeil on the larceny charges, but was ordered held without bail on the fugitive from justice charges. He was represented by attorney Erich Vogt. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Dec. 11, 2024.