Wildomar Man Arrested After Nine-Hour Standoff

WATCH VIDEOS OF THE STANDOFF. SEE ATTACHED.

A 19-year-old man who allegedly threatened family members with a knife and then kept authorities at bay during a nine-hour standoff in Wildomar is in custody.

Nicholas Edward Esparza of Wildomar was arrested sometime after 3 a.m. Monday after a domestic disturbance erupted and escalated into the standoff at 22659 Sunnybrook Drive Sunday evening.

Deputies from the Wildomar Police Department report that when they first arrived on the scene around 6 p.m. Sunday, they learned two family members at the location were assaulted with a knife.

“One of the family members was cut by the knife, which caused non-life threatening injuries," according to a Wildomar Police Department report.

When deputies tried to contact Esparza at the location, he refused to come out of the residence and barricaded himself inside, the report stated.

"Officers were told there were two weapons inside the residence and it was unknown if the suspect was in possession or had access to these weapons,” the police report stated. 

The deputies surrounded the location and attempted to make contact with the suspect over the phone and loudspeaker. 

“Despite these efforts for over two hours, the suspect did not cooperate and remained inside refusing to follow the officer’s orders,” the report stated.

The Sheriff Department’s Emergency Services Team and Crisis Negotiating Team were called out to the location.

In the course of seven hours, deputies continued exhorting the man to come out, until the department’s special teams arrived and broke open a glass-fronted back door to the home and sent in a robot.

“Communication could not be established with the suspect and chemical weapons were deployed in an attempt flush him outside,” the report stated.

By approximately 2:45 a.m. Monday, Esparza was slowly herded out of the house.

“After a nearly nine-hour standoff, the Emergency Services Team was able to enter the location and take the suspect into custody safely with no injuries to the suspect, officers, or the public,” the police report stated.

Esparza was arrested for the assault and booked at the Southwest Detention Center.

For more details and video of what occurred, click