Man held on $20 million bail after standoff with SWAT team

A suspect is jailed in lieu of $20 million bail after his arrest following an hours-long confrontation with police in Wildomar on Thursday, authorities said.

Eric Clifford Rinderhagen, 44, of Wildomar was taken into custody in the late afternoon in the 24000 block of Mauri Court, just north of Clinton Keith Road, according to a Sheriff's Department news release. Officers originally responded to a call at 11:11 a.m. of a man standing on a driveway and firing a rifle into the air while shouting threats at neighbors.

Police confirmed that the suspect was the same individual whom Sheriff's detectives were previously informed had made threats to kill multiple people. During that investigation, detectives conducted interviews with potential victims and obtained evidence from phone messages and text messages. Based on this information, the Riverside County SWAT team was sent to the location.

Streets were closed off Thursday during the incident and traffic was diverted. After several hours, the suspect was taken into custody without injury to himself, police or the public.

Ringerhagen was booked on charges of making criminal threats, negligent discharge of a firearm, stalking and resisting arrest. He is being held at the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta and faces a Dec. 26 court date.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Lead Investigator Kelleher of the Wildomar Police Department at 951-245-3300.