Officials say Lake County Sheriff Canine Dax recorded a “hat trick” by helping track down three suspects in two separate incidents, including a drug investigation and a burglary.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Dax was called last Wednesday to a local town to track for a suspect in a narcotics investigation who fled on foot.
Dax tracked for approximately a mile to a home where the suspect was inside and arrested.
The next day, Dax was requested by a local town to help search for several subjects who fled on foot from a burglary investigation, the sheriff’s office said.
Dax tracked and found two of them hiding in some bushes in between two homes.
The sheriff’s office said Dax recorded a hat trick with the multiple suspects captured.
Days prior to the two incidents, Dax and his handler John Forlenza were dispatched after three suspects broke into vehicles and fled the area on foot in the 2900 block of 30th Street in Zion.
Dax picked up a scent and began tracking into an area of brush where he located two of the offenders hiding, the sheriff’s office said.
One of the suspects resisted arrest, struck Dax and was bit in the leg by the police canine.
He then surrendered and both suspects were taken into custody. Dax was uninjured during the incident.
Sheriff’s officials said a juvenile suspect was referred on charges of striking a police dog and resisting arrest.
The second suspect, identified as Omarion A. Springs, 19, of Zion, was charged with burglary and resisting a peace officer.
Prosecutors said Springs was found two stolen wallets from the burglaries.
He admitted to burglarizing the cars with the other two suspects and said they were primarily looking for cash, prosecutors said