Yair Guarneros charged after Teton County deputies set trap for him

Teton County Deputies Use Car Keys to Trap Idaho Man Accused of Dragging Woman

Yair Guarneros thought he was just returning a pair of lost keys to his longtime girlfriend on a Saturday night. Instead, he was walking straight into a setup orchestrated by Teton County sheriff’s deputies.

Guarneros, born in 2005, faces up to 10 years in prison after being charged with felony aggravated assault, domestic battery, and failure to stop for an accident with damages, Cowboy State Daily reported. His first court appearance took place Monday in Teton County Circuit Court.

A Trailhead Dispute Escalates Into Violence

The sequence of events began near the trailhead on Fox Creek Canyon Road near Alta, Wyoming. The couple, who share a four-year relationship, had driven separate vehicles to the remote location. While the affidavit of probable cause written by Deputy Kevin Espinoza does not detail what sparked their initial argument, it notes that the confrontation quickly turned dangerous.

When Guarneros attempted to drive away while the woman blocked his driver’s-side door open, he shifted the vehicle into drive. The closing door pinned her against the frame. Rather than stop to release her, Guarneros kept moving forward while punching her through the open window, according to court documents.

The woman fell forward and was dragged along the ground while Guarneros maintained his grip on her. After finally bringing the vehicle to a stop, he continued the attack, punching her while she attempted to defend herself.

The Second Assault and the Trap That Followed

The violence did not end when Guarneros let go. As the victim walked back toward her own vehicle, Guarneros put his car in reverse, accelerating directly at her and striking her vehicle before fleeing the scene. Responding deputies arrived around 7:52 p.m. to find the victim covered in dirt with numerous injuries matching her account. Skid marks at the scene corroborated her statement that Guarneros had accelerated directly at her in reverse.

Realizing her keys had fallen inside Guarneros’ vehicle during the dragging, the victim offered deputies a way to bring him back. Deputy Espinoza instructed her to call Guarneros and ask him to return her keys to the trailhead, without mentioning that law enforcement officers were present.

After initial denials, Guarneros agreed to bring the keys back. At approximately 10 p.m., he returned to the scene and placed the keys on top of the victim’s vehicle, unaware that deputies were waiting to arrest him.

Guarneros, who lists a home address in Idaho Falls and a post office box in Jackson, is currently being held on a $10,000 cash or surety bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 4.

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