Waukegan, IL (CBS) — Famous Lake County, Illinois, sheriff’s K9 Dax was undergoing acupuncture treatment Friday to reduce swelling in his neck and spine from injuries sustained this week.
Dax has conducted hundreds of chases missing person and wanted suspect. But late Monday night A suspect was injured when he fled from a stolen vehicle that crashed near the Wisconsin border.
There was a tense moment in the dark Monday night, just before midnight. The suspect was hiding in the woods after being chased by police.
Police told the suspect that if the dog found him, he would bite him.
“This is an ongoing, very violent crime,” Lake County Deputy Sheriff Christopher Covelli said earlier this week. “We have people in stolen cars, people who crashed into police cars, and people who fled on foot.”
CBS 2 showed how Dax and handler John Forlenza have been working together He has been involved in hundreds of cases in the past, including a robbery in which the suspect punched Dax. However, his latest injury has put that professional partnership in jeopardy.
“My philosophy with the Ducks is always to work as a team,” Forlenza said when CBS 2 spoke with him last year. “I won’t let him track me 30 feet away. We’re next door. I’m there to protect him, just like he’s there to protect me.” I’m here.”
After the swelling subsides, Dax will undergo further tests, including an MRI and CT scan.
Police said the 16-year-old suspect in the incident that left Dax injured has been charged in Wisconsin and Illinois.
