A Palm Desert man suspected in a residential burglary refused to leave his home for hours prior to his arrest "despite numerous commands by law enforcement," the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.
The hours-long standoff with law enforcement occurred early Tuesday morning after 38-year-old suspect Steven Cunningham's break-in at a Santolina Drive home, Lt. Chris Willison said in a news release. Homeowners reported the incident to the Sheriff's Department at 5:22 a.m.
"Deputies arrived and learned that an adult male suspect had forced entry into a residence," Lt. Willison said. "When confronted by the homeowners, the suspect fled the location and went to his nearby residence, where he refused to exit, despite numerous commands by law enforcement."
In light of the standoff, personnel from the Special Enforcement Bureau and investigators from the Palm Desert Station were called to the scene. Eventually Cunningham exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident, Willison said.
Charged with residential burglary and violating a court order, Cunningham has been booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio.
Although the the incident was relatively contained, authorities informed nearby schools of the situation, Willison said.