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SALT LAKE CITY — An alleged drug dealer who police say has been on the run for three years, after causing a crash that killed a 17-year-old boy, has been arrested.
Llobani Federico Figueroa, 32, of Magna, is accused of speeding through a red light in and crashing into a car that ultimately resulted in the death of Yahir Dueñas-Gómez, 17, of Salt Lake City.
On June 21, 2020, about 4:10 a.m., Figueroa, who was driving a GMC Sierra, ran a red light at Redwood Road and North Temple and smashed into a Nissan Sentra, according to state charging documents. Dueñas-Gómez, a passenger in the Sentra, suffered multiple internal injuries from the crash, including a brain hemorrhage and a "concussive blow to his heart," and passed away from his injuries eight days later, the charges state.
Investigators determined that Figueroa was traveling 90 mph in the 30-mph zone five seconds before crash, and an estimated 52 mph at the time of impact, according to the charges.
Witnesses say Figueroa ran from his vehicle after the collision but then ran back and grabbed a bag before running off again, the charges state. Inside his vehicle, police found Figueroa's driver's license, a gun stolen out of West Jordan, drugs, drug paraphernalia, notebooks and cellphones, the charges state.
Based on witnesses and forensic evidence, detectives identified Figueroa as the driver and a warrant was issued for his arrest in November 2020.
He was charged in 3rd District Court in 2020 with drug possession with intent to distribute, a first-degree felony; manslaughter, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of a weapon by a restricted person and drug possession with intent to distribute, second-degree felonies; failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving death, a third-degree felony; reckless driving and possession of drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors; operating a vehicle with a valid license, a class C misdemeanor; and speeding, an infraction.
Figueroa was then indicted by a federal grand jury for engaging with continuing a criminal enterprise and seven drug distribution and firearms-related charges. Nearly 30 other co-defendants are named in the federal indictment for allegedly participating on some level in firearms violations, meth, heroin and cocaine distribution.
But Figueroa remained on the run until Aug. 4, when he was located by federal agents and arrested. His federal indictment was unsealed after his arrest. Figueroa made his initial appearance in federal court on Aug. 8 and was scheduled to return on Monday. His initial appearance in state court is scheduled for Aug. 28.
In his obituary, Dueñas-Gómez was remembered by his family as a boy who loved farm animals.
"His father decided to move him back to Mexico when Yahir was at a very young (age), and there he spent a majority of his days riding horses and going to rodeos. He even owned a horse and other farm animals. Yahir returned to the United States in August of 2019, and he quickly found many friends here that also shared his passion for rodeos. He began bull riding soon after arriving and quickly became a very amazing young bull rider and went by the nickname, 'La Pulga De Nayarit.' He would often spend his weekends at rodeos and or horseback riding. There was not a time that Yahir wasn't surrounded by his friends," the obituary states.
