Police: Marine Corps veteran stops carjacker holding knife to girl's throat

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Police said a carjacker who tried to steal four cars was captured Tuesday.

Detectives said Eliud Montalvo attempted several carjackings that were all within a block of one another at the corner of Conway and Curry Ford roads.

Officials said a retired Marine Corps veteran, Andrew Koplin, stopped the carjacker with his concealed weapon.

The first incident involved an 80-year-old woman in a parking lot. The other attempted carjackings happened within a block of the first one.

The last two were stopped by Koplin, who said he noticed Montalvo pulling a knife in a Publix parking lot.

"He came right through here, kind of fast-paced walk, looking over his shoulder and I could see at first that he had the knife in his hand," Koplin said.

Koplin said Montalvo got into a car with a young girl and held a knife to her throat.

Koplin was working around the corner and said he ran in front of traffic, got in front of the car and told him to get out.

Koplin said he didn't take his eyes or his gun's laser off the suspect even as the suspect tried to carjack two other drivers before police arrived.

The knife the suspect used in all the carjackings was found not far from the scene. Police said they found it in some bushes.

WFTV