A Texas man held a woman and four children hostage at a West Dundee hotel Monday after police tried to arrest him on a warrant for criminal sexual assault of a child, officials said.
The standoff began about 3:30 p.m. after West Dundee police were notified by Corpus Christi, Texas, authorities that a suspect they were seeking might be staying at hotel off Route 31, West Dundee Deputy Chief Dan Haines said.
Police secured the building and then contacted Richard Weber, 41, who initially refused to come out and would not allow the women and children with him to leave, Haines said.
During phone negotiations with a West Dundee sergeant, Weber agreed to release the children, he said. A police sergeant talking to Weber by phone eventually persuaded Weber to give himself up about two hours after the standoff began.
“We talked to him for about 20 minutes before he agreed to come out,” Haines said.
No one was injured and Weber surrendered peacefully, he said. A search of the hotel room turned up a firearm.
Weber has been charged with armed violence, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated unlawful restraint, failure to register as a sex offender, intimidation, physical confinement or restraint, reckless conduct, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or rifle, child endangerment, domestic battery, and disorderly conduct, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Weber is being held in the Kane County jail following a detention hearing held Tuesday. He is to be transported to Texas on the warrant.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
