Dad Accused Of Taking Ex-Wife, Toddler Hostage In Riverside Standoff

RIVERSIDE (CBS) — A man who allegedly held his ex-wife and 3-year-old daughter hostage while threatening to kill them was arrested after a brief standoff, a Riverside County sheriff's sergeant said on Friday.

Bruce Lange Willis, 24, of Jurupa Valley, was taken into custody after a struggle Thursday and booked into the Robert Presley jail in Riverside on suspicion of kidnapping, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, making terrorist threats and burglary, according to sheriff's officials.

The suspect is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Sgt. Jim Erickson said that around 11 a.m. Thursday, Willis allegedly kidnapped his ex-wife and child in San Bernardino County and drove to Pedley.

The woman called 911 and told a dispatcher that the suspect was threatening to kill her, their daughter and himself, Erickson said.

Deputies located the victim's car behind a restaurant near Main and Collins streets and learned that Willis had driven to a residence at 26550 Joppe Ave. in Homeland, near Hemet, according to the sergeant.

He said deputies converged on the location and attempted to make contact with Willis.

"The suspect initially barricaded himself in a residence, held a gun to the victim's head and threatened to kill her," Erickson said.

Deputies got close enough to deploy a Taser that incapacitated Willis, who was taken into custody without further incident, according to Erickson.

The suspect's firearm turned out to be a replica.

Erickson said the mom and daughter were shaken up but not physically injured.

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