Have you seen him? Reward increased for fugitive with Arlington ties

Authorities have been searching for Carlos Rafael Benitez, 29, since last March.

Now a reward has been increased to $10,000 for anyone who turns in a tip this month that leads to his capture, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Benitez is wanted for failing to appear in court on charges of aggravated assault of a public servant and evading arrest and detention with a vehicle.

Benitez has ties to Amarillo, where he was last seen, as well as to Arlington, Grand Prairie and Dallas, according to authorities.

On Aug. 2, 2016, Amarillo police stopped Benitez for a traffic violation. Officers were advised that Benitez had seven Amarillo municipal warrants and asked him step out of the car, which he refused.

A small child was in the car with Benitiz and one of the officers reached into the car to remove the keys from the ignition so that Benitez could not drive away and put the child at risk, police said in a news release.

But Benitez began to fight the officer and was able to get the car into drive. Benitez revved the engine and went forward with the officer still halfway inside the window. The suspect hit a curb and the officer fell from the car and his head hit the ground, the release said.

Officers did not pursue Benitez because they did not want to put the child in danger. Officers searched for the vehicle and found it at a nearby Wal-Mart and then arrested Benitez inside, the release said.

The child was released to a family member and Benitez was booked into the Potter County Jail. The officer's injuries were not severe and he was treated at a hospital and released.

But Benitez failed to show up for his court date.

Benitez is 5-feet, 5-inches and weighs about 170 pounds. He has a tattoo of "BENITEZ" on his back and a history of working in the tire service business.

Potential tipsters can submit tips in five different ways to be eligible for a cash reward. More information is on the Texas Department of Public Safety website.

Mitch Mitchell: 817-390-7752, @mitchmitchel3

This story was originally published March 1, 2018 at 7:26 PM with the headline "Have you seen him? Reward increased for fugitive with Arlington ties."