A robbery at a Dewey business escalated into violence when a store clerk was assaulted by an individual attempting to purchase with insufficient funds. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office reported that the incident occurred on the morning of October 24. The male suspect became irritated after his transaction was declined, which led to the attack on the female clerk before he fled the scene.
According to the Sheriff's Office, the trouble began when the suspect, identified as Daniel Bentler, tried to buy an item but was turned away by the clerk. Despite her insistence and repeated orders for him to leave, Bentler aggressively reached over the counter, grabbed the clerk by her hair, tearing out a handful, and forcibly took the item. The YCSO press release details that this confrontation happened at a business located at the intersection of Hwy 69 and Kachina at about 10:00 AM.
Following the robbery, an investigation was launched, leading to Bentler's arrest the next day. A YCSO Deputy, while patrolling the area near the robbery scene, noticed Bentler, who matched the description from the store's surveillance footage, walking on Indian Hills Rd. On initiating contact, the deputy could visually confirm Bentler's identity as the assailant from the video.
