By: Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Stillwater man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for pointing his .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol at a sheriff’s deputy and also a truck driver, while attempting to elude law enforcement after a chase that began in Perkins for a traffic violation on a pickup at 3:54 pm on Jan.16.
At the time of his arrest 39 minutes later on Yost Road east of Highway 108 in Glencoe, Raul Castro Benavidez III, 26, was on probation for possession of methamphetamine and stolen property in 2015 in Perkins where he had previously lived, court records show.
Benavidez was also being sought on bench warrants after he left court-ordered in-patient treatment on Dec. 2, 2020, in connection with Beckham County charges of drug possession with intent to distribute, assault and battery, leaving the scene of an accident and driving on a suspended license in 2020, court records show.
Benavidez pleaded guilty last week to his Payne County charges of assault with a firearm, two counts of feloniously pointing a firearm, and also being a felon in possession of a firearm for which he was given four concurrent 10-year prison terms; he was given two concurrent one-year jail terms for attempting to elude and driving on a revoked license, court records show.
Payne County Sheriff’s Investigator Brandon Myers alleged in an affidavit that Benavidez pointed his gun and fired at Deputy Justin Henninger, who returned fire — “firing three rounds at the suspect through the windshield of his patrol vehicle.” No one was apparently struck.
Benavidez was arrested at 4:33 pm on Jan.16 after Deputy David Sloan and Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Matt Stacey “converged on the suspect in the middle of Yost Road,” the affidavit said.
At 7:53 pm that night, “Investigator L.A. Kellison and I interviewed Raul at the Payne County Sheriff’s Office interview room,” Myers wrote in his affidavit.
“Raul admitted he was the one that initially ran from Perkins police. He admitted he was driving the truck when he was pursued again by Deputy Sloan in the area of 44th and Union. He admitted that he was able to lose the pursuing law enforcement until he was southbound at Lone Chimney Road on Hwy. 108 where Deputy Henninger turned around on him.
“He told us that his truck was having transmission problems and the truck would not continue at Yost and Hwy. 108. He said that he exited his pickup, dropping his cell phone. He told us picked up his phone and pulled the pistol from its holster. He admitted to running south along the fence line, crossing Yost Road with the gun in his hand.
“He admitted that when Deputy Henninger was behind him, he raised his gun, firing two rounds at Deputy Henninger. He said that he continued running around the east side of the residence and north through the yard back towards Yost Road. He approached the white pickup, pointing the gun at the driver and the driver speeding off. He told us that his intent was to take the truck from the victim to get away,” Myers wrote in his affidavit.
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