A Lake County Sheriff Canine Team is being credited with catching a juvenile suspect who fled from police in a stolen vehicle in Zion Wednesday evening.
Zion police officers tried to conduct a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle in the 2200 block of Joanna Avenue around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday. The vehicle stopped and two people inside ran from the scene, officials said.
A perimeter was setup around the area by police and Lake County Sheriff Deputy John Forlenza and Canine Dax were called to the scene. The canine team conducted a track from the stolen vehicle to a backyard several homes away from where the two suspects fled.
Lake County Sheriff Sgt. Christopher Covelli said that Canine Dax alerted on a vehicle in the backyard of the home. Police found a juvenile suspect hiding under a blanket in the backseat of the car.
The other suspect, Juamil L. Gordon, 18, of the 500 block of May Street in Waukegan, was located by Zion police officers and taken into custody nearby.
Gordon was cited by police for criminal trespass to a motor vehicle and resisting a peace officer. He was released on a recognizance bond. The juvenile, whose identity has not been released, was transported to the Hulse Juvenile Detention Center in Vernon Hills.
The juvenile, who police say was the driver of the stolen car, was petitioned to juvenile court on charges of possession of a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated fleeing and eluding.
“Another success by one of our Canine Teams.. I couldn’t be prouder of Dax, Duke, Diesel, Boomer, and their Deputy handlers. Our Canine Teams have a terrific track record of locating fleeing offenders, finding missing people, and locating contraband,” Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said.
Great job Deputy Forlenza and Dax, hunt these scumbags down
Same dog who found that suicidal woman a couple weeks ago – Dax is a good doggo!