SAN JUAN COUNTY, Utah, March 8, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A Utah suspect wanted by the FBI has surrendered to authorities.
“Phillip Rentz turned himself in and is now in custody,” says a statement released Friday to the media by FBI Salt Lake City spokeswoman Sandra Yi Barker. “I don’t have any other details at this time. Thank you for your help getting the word out!”
Rentz, 35, was wanted in connection with the death of a man near Aneth in San Juan County in 2017.
The news release said that on July 5, 2017, a vehicle allegedly driven by Rentz, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, went off the road near Aneth, while within the exterior boundaries of the Navajo Nation reservation. One of the two passengers in the vehicle, also an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Subsequent testing indicated that Rentz had a blood alcohol content of .217.
A federal arrest warrant was issued in the United States District Court, District of Utah, Central Division, Salt Lake City, one year ago on March 7, 2018, and Rentz was charged with involuntary manslaughter while within Indian Country.
The FBI Salt Lake City office had asked for the public’s help finding Rentz in a statement sent to reporters on Thursday.
