(Estherville)– A stand-off that took place the better part of the day Thursday at a residence in Estherville ended with a man going to jail on multiple charges.
According to a press release from the Estherville Police Department, officers were called around 2:00 pm to the 300 block of West 5th Avenue North after getting a report of a man in a house damaging property following a domestic dispute. Upon arrival of officers, the suspect broke a window and threatened them with a knife. He then barricaded himself in the residence. A crisis negotiator with the HEAT Tactical Team arrived and tried to talk to the suspect, who again threatened officers and started throwing broken glass at them. The HEAT Tactical Team was then deployed to the scene and arrest and search warrants were obtained. Upon making further attempts to get him to come out, the suspect started a fire in the entryway of the house. The HEAT Tactical Team then forcibly entered the home around 7:47 pm and the suspect was taken into custody after a “less-lethal impact weapon” was deployed. The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Andrew John Schwager of Estherville, sustained minor injuries and was taken to Avera Holy Family Hospital where he was treated and released. He was then booked into the Emmet county jail.
Schwager was charged with two counts of 1st degree harassment, one count of criminal mischief in the 4th degree, one count of reckless use of fire, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Estherville police say they responded to two additional domestic disturbances Thursday, none of them related, that resulted in the arrests of two other people on misdemeanor charges. Those arrests were made without incident.
