BRIGHAM CITY, Utah — Wyatt Romney has lived by the corner of 100 South and 500 West in Brigham City for many years, and his long-time friend Blake Smith moved in a little over a year ago.
“It’s always been a really quiet neighborhood. It's a really nice neighborhood. We’ve got really friendly neighbors,” Romney said.
That was until Romney got a phone call from his mom on Saturday night asking if something was going on.
“Me and Blake walk outside, and the cop is like, 'Get over here. Get over here,'" Romney said. "So we walk across the road… We could just both smell it immediately."
It was the smell of natural gas, turned on by 44-year-old suspect Jeremy Ruben Perea in an attempt to cause an explosion, according to Brigham City Police.
Detective Crystal Beck said officers responded to the area just before 8 p.m. due to a domestic violence incident.
“The suspect attempted to break into an ex-girlfriend's apartment and threatened to blow the place up. He told her to get the dogs out, and she fled without shoes on,” she said.
They both lived in a duplex, and officers said the suspect turned the gas on in the basement. While they were able to shut it off quickly, 14 homes needed to be evacuated.
“I originally thought that it was just a gas leak,” Romney said. "I didn't think anything of it at the time. I was like, 'Okay, they'll shut the gas off, you know, connect lines or whatever, fix what they need to,' and then I was like, 'Oh, it's worse.'"
Both Smith and Romney told FOX 13 News that they were able to come back to their home after about six hours, around 2 a.m.
“Negotiators, after several hours, were able to peacefully get [Perea] out of the home, and he came out with his hands up,” Beck said.
“I'm definitely glad that whatever was going to happen didn't happen, but I'm also very glad that everyone made it out alive,” Romney said.
"I was telling him, it's a crazy thought that we could have just been doing our thing and then something drastic happens,” Smith added.
Beck said the victim ended up okay. She also mentioned that there was an incident in the past, but police were not called.
It’s because of this that Smith and Romney encourage neighbors to keep an eye out.
“It's hard to think something like this is going to happen, but, I mean, it's always good to be wary. At least look outside and make sure that nothing strange is going on,” Romney said.
“Just don't be oblivious to something that's happening around you,” Smith added.
Perea is in custody for aggravated assault with a domestic violence enhancement.
Brigham City PD said they take domestic violence situations very seriously and encourage the public to call 911 if they ever find themselves in a dangerous situation.
