Sheriff’s K-9 Dax injured during arrest of suspect

WAUKEGAN – Lake County Sheriff’s K-9 Dax was injured during an apprehension of a fleeing suspect last weekend, police said.

About 11:55 p.m. March 3, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, police officers were pursuing a stolen vehicle, according to a news release. The driver of the vehicle at one point struck a Pleasant Prairie squad car. After striking the squad car, the driver crashed the stolen car in the 41000 block of North Green Bay Road near Zion and fled on foot, police said.

Lake County Sheriff’s K-9 Dax and his handler, Deputy John Forlenza, were asked to track the fleeing suspect as it was believed he was hiding in a wooded area. The two arrived at the scene and Forlenza gave announcements warning the offender to surrender and K-9 Dax began barking to further warn the suspect. The suspect refused to surrender or make himself known and after a brief track, K-9 Dax found the suspect hiding in the woods. K-9 Dax bit the suspect in the torso area and the suspect surrendered, police said.

The suspect, later identified as a 16-year-old Zion juvenile, was taken to an area hospital for the bite and treated. Charges are pending in Illinois and Wisconsin, police said.

During the apprehension, K-9 Dax suffered an injury resulting in him not being able to bear weight on his hind legs. K-9 Dax is under the care of a veterinarian, police said.

“We are extremely hopeful Dax’s injury is not serious,” Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said in a news release. “Please send positive thoughts to Dax and Deputy Forlenza. We are all wishing Dax a speedy recovery.”