Ceres man arrested by SWAT allegedly threatened to kill ex-girlfriend in her home

A 30-year-old Ceres man was taken into custody by SWAT officers Monday after allegedly threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend in her home, according to the Ceres Police Department.

On Sunday night, Ceres police officers were dispatched to investigate a disturbance involving weapons on the 800 block of Willow Lake Way. While they were en route, the woman indicated she was able to safely flee the residence and requested officer contact at a nearby location.

The woman then told officers that her ex-boyfriend, Rafael Echeverria, came to her residence, threatened her with a firearm and prevented her from leaving. She stated she was able to break free from him and escape through a window. She said she was headed to a safe location outside of Ceres while the investigation continued.

On Monday, at about 4:30 a.m., the woman returned to her home and found Echeverria hiding inside, allegedly armed with a firearm and threatening to kill her.

The woman again fled the residence and called 911. Ceres police officers, with help from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department and Modesto Police Department, created a perimeter around the residence to prevent Echeverria from leaving.

After interviewing the woman, officers determined that Echeverria was wanted for several violent felony crimes, including assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm, domestic violence, criminal threats, false imprisonment and violation of a domestic violence restraining order.

The Ceres SWAT team was called to respond to the scene, due to the severity of the alleged crimes. Crisis negotiators tried to communicate with Echeverria while surrounding residents evacuated their homes out of safety.

SWAT officers eventually found Echeverria in a neighboring yard and took him into custody without incident. He was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on multiple felony charges related to domestic violence, criminal threats, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm, violation of a restraining order and multiple felony warrants.

“The Ceres Police Department would like to thank the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, Modesto Police Department, and assisting allied agencies for their support and coordinated response during this high-risk incident,” wrote the Ceres Police Department in a press release.