The father who authorities feared was holding his baby hostage for six hours in a LaSalle house Friday was arrested after he was found behind a nearby liquor store.
Gabriel Esparza, 44, was taken into custody about 8 p.m. He will face a charge of violating a restraining order, an assault charge and possibly child abuse charges, said Weld County Undersheriff Margie Martinez.
The mother of the 6-month-old girl, Tammy Dansko, 19, fled the home early Friday after Esparza allegedly assaulted and threatened her.
She was treated at the scene for injuries that were not life-threatening, Martinez said.
About 1:30 a.m., police were called and surrounded the home, but no contact was made with Esparza, Martinez said.
A SWAT team entered the home about 7:30 a.m. and retrieved the baby unharmed, but they could not find Esparza.
Following a tip, police found him later behind a store a few blocks away.
Dansko has a restraining order on Esparza, but it does not cover the child, Martinez said.
The sheriff’s office suspects alcohol is involved, which is a violation of the restraining order.
Esparza pleaded guilty to felony menacing charges in 2007. He also was charged with domestic violence in 2003 as part of a disorderly-conduct charge.
