Battery arrest ends search, standoff at Elgin home

Elgin police and SWAT team members arrested a 38-year-old man Sunday morning after a search and standoff that began more than nine hours earlier.

James R. Williams, of the 100 block of Deer Run Street in Elgin, is charged with aggravated domestic battery and aggravated battery, both felonies, stemming from an altercation with a former girlfriend. He is expected to appear in Kane County bond court Monday morning.

Elgin police said officers began searching for Williams about 2 a.m. when they were called to the 0-100 block of South Grove Street for a report of a battery. Officers met with a woman who said she was in a vehicle arguing with her ex-boyfriend when he struck her in the face and pulled her out of the vehicle, police said.

The woman was taken to Presence Saint Joseph Hospital for treatment while police began searching for a suspect.

About 6:18 a.m., police said, officers went to a home in the 0-100 block of Sheridan Street, where they tried to make contact with Williams. After police obtained a warrant for the residence, members of the Elgin SWAT team entered at about 11:20 a.m. and took Williams into custody, authorities said.

Many residents watched the events unfold from their cars on the perimeter of the scene. Among them was John Busse, who watched from a parking lot on Chicago Street.

"They were calling out for a female to come out of the house through the loudspeaker," he said. "Finally, after quite some time, a female came out, handcuffed. Then they kept calling for other people. A male came out. He was handcuffed. And then a third person finally came out, another female. She was not handcuffed.

"For well over an hour, they called for James Williams."

Gary Lesser, who lives across the street, said when he woke up, he looked out his front window and saw the squad cars camped outside the house.

"I started watching, and it just escalated," he said.