A Chesterton man was taken into custody early this morning after a standoff at his residence in which the Chesterton Police Department’s Emergency Response Team was mustered, Porter Police said.

Arrested on charges of burglary, two counts of intimidation, and criminal mischief was Joseph D. Heilmann, 32, of 104 N. Jackson Blvd., police said.

According to the police, at 8:58 p.m. Thursday, officers were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Summertree Drive in response to a report of Heilmann’s attempting to enter the home. On their arrival, police said, officers made contact with a man and woman at the residence who advised that Heilmann had used foul language in front of the woman’s daughters, tried to enter the home by forcing open the garage’s man door and then kicking in the front door, and finally broke a window on the residence before leaving.

While officers were at the scene, police said, Heilmann called the woman’s cellular telephone and threatened to kill both her and the man, saying at one point that he would cut the man up to his throat and hand her the man’s intestines. Heilmann hung up but then called back and again threatened several times to kill the man, police said. An officer was able to record the phone conversations after activating his squad’s audio system, police added.

Chesterton Police units, meanwhile, checked Heilmann’s residence at 104 N. Jackson Blvd. and confirmed that Heilmann’s vehicle was parked outside and that a male subject was observed inside the home, police said. Heilmann did not respond to several calls to his cell phone and while the CPD units remained in position at his residence the PPD requested Porter Superior Court Judge David Chidester to issue a warrant to enter Heilmann’s home and take him into custody, police said.

The CPD Emergency Response Team, assisted by PPD officers, was then mustered and Capt. G. Gonzalez of the Porter County Sheriff’s Police negotiation team dispatched to the scene, where at 12:37 a.m. he succeeded in talking Heilmann into surrendering on his own, police said. While the ERT secured the residence, Heilmann was placed into custody and later transported to Porter County Jail.

At 3:38 a.m., police said, Heilmann placed a call to the woman’s cell phone from PCJ and once more threatened to kill her. Jail staff was informed of the threat, police said, and advised that Heilmann’s phone privileges would be rescinded for the remainder of his incarceration.

Posted 7/10/2009