Man detained girlfriend inside RV for 4 days, police say


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SALT LAKE CITY — Police arrested a man after he allegedly kept his girlfriend inside their RV for four days against her will.

William Chaney, 52, was arrested for investigation of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, domestic assault, theft, mayhem and other charges.

Around 7 a.m. Tuesday, a 36-year-old woman reported to police that she had been detained in an RV at 2000 S. 900 West since July 25, according to Salt Lake City police detective Veronica Montoya.

The woman said her boyfriend, Chaney, had used threats and physical force to detain her for the past four days, Montoya said. Chaney allegedly stole the woman’s cellphone to stop her from contacting anyone.

Chaney eventually took her to a local hospital to receive medical treatment, and officers responded to the hospital. The woman needed stitches on her left pinky after she said Chaney cut her with an unknown weapon, police said. Police reported the woman also received treatment for a tooth knocked loose when Chaney allegedly kicked her in the jaw.

Police officers went to the RV Park but found Chaney was gone. They eventually arrested him on the other side of town, near 2100 South and 200 East.

“Women are in these situations and you don’t want to let it get to this extent,” Montoya said. “If you feel like you are a victim, there are a lot of outreach (programs). If you are in this situation there is a lot of help out there. Don’t wait for it to get to this point.”

This isn't Chaney's first run-in with the law. In 1996, he was charged with attempted homicide in the shooting of his wife in their Rose Park home. During that incident, police say he threatened to kill the woman and himself when police surrounded the house. The standoff ended when Chaney was shot by a SWAT officer. He was convicted of attempted murder and served a 10-year sentence with parole.

In 2009, police say Chaney led them on a chase in Salt Lake City. Officers eventually stopped him on the interstate. Chaney's ex-girlfriend told officers that if the man was going to kill himself, he'd want to force an officer into a situation where he or she would use lethal force against him.

“I think sometimes when we are dealing with people, there is not a lot of good reasons why (they do these things),” Montoya said. “Sometimes it could be something that is going on with them. I really say drugs have a lot to do with it. Sometimes there is no explanation why.”

Contributing: Viviane Vo-Duc and Mike Anderson

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