3-year-old girl freed, man arrested after Highland standoff

A 38-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly taking a 3-year-old girl hostage in a Highland home in a five-hour standoff.

A deputy responded to a call at 1:10 a.m. of a suspicious car in the 8000 block of Peacock Street, where he spotted Gonzalo Hernandez and Hernandez's ex-girlfriend outside the house, said Cindy Bachman, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

Hernandez appeared to have a gun, but before the deputy could make contact, he pulled the woman inside the house with him.

The deputy was able to free the woman but Hernandez entered a bedroom, locked the door and told deputies he was armed and had the woman’s 3-year-old daughter.

The girl was released shortly after 4 a.m. after negotiations with the department's special weapons and tactics team, Bachman said.

Hernandez was arrested two hours later after a SWAT team fired tear gas into the house and he jumped out a window.

Bachman could not confirm the relationship between Hernandez and the girl.

ALSO:

Corn dogs, chicken nuggets out at L.A. schools, sushi in

Aircraft carrier Carl Vinson returns to San Diego

Girl, 14, critically injured when vehicle backs into storm channel

-- Kate Mather