One of the officers tried to taser Oldham, but it did not work. Police say Oldham then got really upset and started waving the gun around and making threats toward police and himself. Oldham is a 17-year veteran with the LaPorte Sheriff's Depart and was experienced in SWAT procedures and had tactical team training, so officers quickly took cover and called for backup. The Michigan City Police SWAT team, along with LaPorte County Sherriff's office and that Indiana State Police responded to the call.
Michigan City Police Sgt. Chris Yagelski was one of the negotiators at the scene. He says Oldham continued to wave around the semi-automatic handgun.
"He made the threat to himself by use of his handgun and by waving of the gun he's passing officers over with it,” Yagelski said. “It was quite a threat to everyone involved."
The scene was frightening for many people living in the neighborhood. Residents WSBT talked to said the streets were lined with marked and unmarked police cars, and over a dozen officers, most of them carrying around rifles. Police would let people leave, but not come into the subdivision.
Jody Heilmann lives a few houses down from Oldham and says her two sons couldn't come home.
"I was very nervous,” she said. “I was praying and rocking my little girl to sleep and I could see out the window. I didn't want anything bad to happen and it looked bad."
For four hours police tried to talk him into turning himself in. During that time Oldham used his cellphone to call friends, family and one of his attorneys.
Attorney Bryan Truitt represents Oldham in his federal case. Truitt says he talked to Oldham for 20 minutes.
"I was trying to get things stabilized,” he said. “He was very angry, very distraught over what he believes are groundless charges."
Around 7:30 Tuesday night Truitt finally got him to surrender.
"My main focal point was that I needed him [Oldham] alive to defend him against these charges," Truitt said.
The standoff ended after Oldham's cell phone went dead. Yagelski say he dropped the gun and put both of his hands outside the window of his van, finally giving up peacefully.
The LaPorte County prosecutor says once Oldham has undergone a mental evaluation, he will face those new child molesting charges and will be put in jail. The judge has ordered Oldham be held without bond.
