Logan man accused of domestic violence in custody after he escaped police chase last week

LOGAN — A Logan man, accused of assaulting his girlfriend before fleeing from police during which he allegedly crashed into a car and swam through a marina to escape, has been taken into custody, Logan police announced.

On July 13, Logan police and the county sheriff's office asked for help in locating Benigno Queredo-Centreros, 41. Police said he was wanted in a domestic violence investigation but had fled the scene before police arrived, allegedly armed with a long gun.

According to charges filed in 1st District Court on Friday, Queredo-Centreros had been yelling at his girlfriend of 10 years, who he lived with, on the morning of July 13. The girlfriend told police she had been ignoring him while he yelled insults at her, "which normally lets him calm down after venting."

But that morning, he got more upset with her ignoring him, so he grabbed her by the wrists, held them above her head and shoved her into a bookshelf, the charges state.

He continued to yell at her, then "wrapped her in a bear hug, with his forearm against her throat. The victim stated Benigno then forced her head into his chest, and she was unable to breathe due to the pressure to her neck from his forearm," the charges allege.

The woman told police she couldn't breathe for at least 20 seconds and tried pushing him away. She was able to push him away enough that she yelled for Siri, her smartphone assistant, to call 911 and the phone complied, the charges state.

Police said Queredo-Centreros then let go of the woman, grabbed her phone and cancelled the call. He allegedly then begged her not to call again, but she did and "the two could be heard arguing during the call by dispatch," the charges said.

Queredo-Centreros left the room and could be heard crying in the kitchen before leaving the house in a truck that is solely registered to the woman. The woman told police he did not have permission to drive her car, and investigators later learned he does not have a valid license and has been cited previously for driving without a license, the charges said.

Police began searching for the vehicle, which was recorded traveling 107 mph along state Route 30, police said. A Utah Highway Patrol trooper was going the opposite direction and made a U-turn to follow the truck, but by the time he was going the correct direction, "the truck was far enough ahead ... that made it unsafe to pursue," the charges said.

The trooper continued west, where he saw a vehicle accident at the 3200 West intersection. According to the charges, the two occupants sustained minor injuries when a truck, matching the description of Queredo-Centreros' truck, hit them while turning right before fleeing north.

Police and troopers shortly after located the truck at the end of 2600 North near 4200 West. Queredo-Centreros was then seen running west through the fields toward the Benson Marina, holding a gun with a long barrel, police said.

"This was the last time Benigno was seen and he was not apprehended at this time. SWAT and a helicopter were called to set up a perimeter but it is likely he swam through the marina to the road west of the marina and escaped before the perimeter was set up," the charges said.

On Monday, Logan police announced the department received information about Queredo-Centreros' location. He was located in Tremonton and arrested without incident. Police said it was also discovered his real name is Antonio Zarco-Orozco. According to court records, he has previously been convicted of assault and domestic violence in 2005 and 2009.

Queredo-Centreros was charged with domestic violence-related aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; theft of vehicle, a second-degree felony; domestic violence-related aggravated assault and domestic violence in the presence of a child, third-degree felonies; reckless endangerment and two counts of leaving the scene of crash where injury occurred, class A misdemeanors; domestic violence-related assault, interrupting a communications device summoning aid and reckless driving, class B misdemeanors; and traffic infractions of driving without a license, illegal turn and speeding more than 100 mph.

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