Suspect in hours-long Fallbrook SWAT standoff identified

FALLBROOK (KUSI) — A 22-year-old man was behind bars Monday for allegedly holing up in a Fallbrook apartment for hours in an apparent effort to delay his arrest in connection with an outstanding warrant.

Authorities searching for Joshua Villegas, who was named in a felony arrest warrant for assault with a deadly weapon, spotted him as he arrived at an apartment complex on Alturas Road near Sancado Terrace shortly before 3:30 p.m., according to sheriff’s officials. At the time, Villegas was believed to have been armed and dangerous.

San Diego Fugitive Task Force officers obtained a search warrant and surrounded it the apartment, but Villegas remained inside. Deputies cleared people out of surrounding rental units as a precaution.

A sheriff’s department SWAT team was then summoned, sheriff’s Sgt. Christopher Davis said. Villegas surrendered and exited the unit shortly before 6 p.m. and was taken into custody.

Villegas was subsequently booked into jail and was being held in lieu of $200,000 bail, according to sheriff’s officials and jail records.