Nicholas A. Valentino, 26.

The handcuffed fugitive who escaped from the back of a squad car near Lake Villa has been captured Friday evening, sheriff’s officials said.

Nicholas A. Valentino, 26, who has no permanent address, escaped from custody around 1:35 p.m. Friday in the 37400 block of North Cremona Avenue in unincorporated Lake Villa.

Sheriff’s deputies were initially dispatched to a residence in the area for a drug investigation, according to Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli.

While speaking to Valentino, deputies learned he had two outstanding arrest warrants. He was arrested and placed in the backseat of a squad car.

Covelli said that deputies briefly returned to the residence to collect evidence, and when they returned to the squad car Valentino had escaped.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office searches for escaped suspect Nicholas A. Valentino Friday afternoon on North Cremona Avenue in unincorporated Lake Villa | Photo: Woo-Sung Shim / Lake and McHenry County Scanner.

Valentino was taken back into custody around 8:55 p.m. in the area of Columbus Avenue and West Isola Avenue in unincorporated Lake Villa. He was found still wearing handcuffs but he had manipulated them to be in the front of his body, Covelli said.

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Valentino has an active Lake County arrest warrant for possession of a stolen vehicle and an active DuPage County arrest warrant for unlawful drug possession.

He is being held at the Lake County Jail and charges are being reviewed with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“The Lake County Sheriff’s Office thanks the community for the numerous tips received during the search for Valentino, and all of the local police departments for their assistance,” officials said.