SLO County man arrested after throwing rocks at deputies in overnight standoff

A Nipomo man was arrested Thursday morning after he allegedly smashed car windows, threw rocks at deputies’ vehicles and barricaded himself inside his house for six hours, causing his neighborhood to shelter in place.

San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s deputies initially responded to a reported disturbance in the 100 block of Avocado Avenue in Nipomo around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night, the agency said in a news release.

Bobby Heredia, 36, had reportedly vandalized a vehicle, breaking windows and damaging the car’s body, threatening to kill the vehicle’s owner before fleeing the scene prior to deputies’ arrival, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies located Heredia in his residence nearby in the 100 block of East Price Street in Nipomo. He was “highly agitated and barricaded himself inside the residence,” the agency said.

Heredia allegedly came out of his house multiple times to challenge deputies to a fight before returning inside. He also damaged Sheriff’s Office vehicles by throwing rocks and bricks at them.

The Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail sent a reverse 911 message to neighbors in the area to shelter in place, while the Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiation team contacted Heredia. The crisis team negotiated with Heredia for several hours in an attempt to end the standoff peacefully, the agency said.

At around 6:15 a.m. Thursday morning, Heredia again stepped out of his house and was immediately taken into custody with the assistance of a K-9.

Heredia was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism and criminal threats, the news release said.

According to the Sheriff’s Office inmate database, Heredia is being held in San Luis Obispo County Jail on suspicion of felony criminal threats with $200,000 bail.