Robert Benefield held on $100,000 bail
Staff Report
Humboldt Sentinel
State and local law enforcement agencies coordinated their efforts to catch the alleged robber of a local gas station.
At about 12:37 a.m. yesterday morning, Eureka Police Department officers responded to reports of a robbery at the Chevron station on the 2800 block of Broadway in Eureka. According to eyewitness reports, a suspect approached the clerk, purchased some items, then demanded money from the cash register, fleeing the area after receiving an undisclosed amount of money.
California Highway Patrol personnel happened to be in the area at the time, and they unsuccessfully gave chase of the suspect, who escaped through the green belt area west of the Chevron station. At the time, the suspect was described as a white male in his mid 20s, approximately 6’2″, 180 pounds with dirty blond facial hair, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and jeans.
Through the course of the investigation, law enforcement developed a person of interest in the crime, determining that they had probable cause to identify and arrest Robert David Benefield, 21 of Eureka. EPD and CHP commenced a countywide search for the alleged robber.
At about 10:44 a.m. this morning, detectives responded to a home at the 1000 block of Adkins Road in McKinleyville in an attempt to locate the man. Benefield was contacted and apprehended at this location without incident, and was taken to EPD headquarters for an interview prior to his booking at Humboldt County jail on robbery charges. His bail is set at $100,000.
The Criminal Investigations Section of EPD continues their investigation; the department promises more details will be released, according to a press statement by sergeant Patrick O’Neill. Members of the public with further information regarding this are asked to call the EPD CIS at (707) 441-4300.
