Man jailed in fake hostage report at restaurant near Sanger ID’d
The man who was arrested on suspicion of calling in a fake hostage report east of Sanger Monday was identified as Victoriano Hernandez, 50.
The Sanger man called the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Monday around 5:45 p.m., claiming his wife was among several people held hostage inside the School House Restaurant and Tavern on the 1000 block of Frankwood Avenue.
Sheriff spokesman Tony Botti said Hernandez claimed his wife sent him a message about three men trying to rob the business.
After using technological equipment to search the building and calling in the SWAT team, sheriff’s deputies determined it was a false alarm.
The Sheriff’s crisis negotiation team contacted Hernandez’s ex-wife, who said she was never a hostage.
Botti said Hernandez has a history of filing in fake reports and that his ex-wife has a restraining order against him.
Hernandez was booked into the Fresno County Jail where he faces misdemeanor charges in Monday’s hoax and drug possession charges from a previous arrest warrant.
Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado: 559-441-6304, @cres_guez
This story was originally published July 26, 2016 at 9:07 PM with the headline "Man jailed in fake hostage report at restaurant near Sanger ID’d."