NAPPANEE —  On Friday, Aug. 12, the Nappanee Police Department responded to a small child that was wandering the street in the 1100 block of S. Jackson St.

When officers arrived they found a four year old child in the roadway. Officers attempted to locate the parents of the child and learned that the child lives at 1125 S. Jackson St. An attempt was made to contact the parent, Stewart Hummel, who ultimately fled southbound into a field leaving his small children behind.

Officers searched for several hours to locate Hummel but were unsuccessful after finding out that Hummel has several drug related warrants out of Marshall County and Starke County The Department of Child Services (DCS) was called to take protective custody of the children who were now left in the officer’s care.

When officers and DCS workers arrived back on scene to obtain clothes and food for the children they saw a male subject in the back bedroom and immediately evacuated the house. Officers made numerous announcements to Mr. Hummel to give himself up and surrender.

Hummel did not comply with the officer’s request so the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department Emergency Services Unit was called to assist with the now barricaded subject. The Elkhart Police Department also responded with a robot to make entry into the house to locate Hummel.

After the robot cleared the majority of the house the Elkhart County ESU made entry and deployed OC gas into the crawl space where they believed that Hummel was hiding. After a short period of time Hummel gave himself up and the standoff ended without incident.

Hummel was charged with resisting law enforcement and neglect of a dependent and was transported to the Kosciusko County Jail. Hummel will also face the outstanding warrants through both Marshall County and Starke County.