Dax, Lake Co. K-9, nabs suspect in home invasion

GURNEE, Ill. (CBS) -- A Lake County Sheriff's police K-9 officer named Dax took on another successful mission this past weekend.

This time, Dax tracked down a home invasion suspect.

As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported Monday, a 911 call to a home in the 36200 block of North Old Creek Court in unincorporated Gurnee came in around 8:30 p.m. Sunday. A friend of the victim made the call.

He had been on FaceTime with the victim – a 36-year-old woman – when he saw someone behind her. The woman screamed and the call disconnected.

"They had heard what was going on, and they called us," said Lake County Sheriff's Deputy Jessica Fill.

It was that 911 call that got K9 Dax, a seven-and-a-half year veteran of the force, to the scene quickly.

The Lake County Sheriff's office said Joshua Simmons, 34, of Dublin, Georgia, broke into the woman's home. Deputies said the victim is his ex-girlfriend, and he hit her in the face and neck.

Fill was on the case.

"By the time deputies arrived, they hear yelling inside," Fill said, "and now we know the suspect parked a street over, came in the residence - made entry into the residence - and made his way upstairs to the victim."

The suspect had run away by then. 

"We set up a perimeter. We had our drone out there. We had K-9 Dax – he's incredible," said Fill. "So it was just a matter of time."  

K-9 Dax and his handler, John Forlenza, started working to track the suspect's scent.

"He was fleeing in people's backyards; jumping fences; crossing through water; going through wooded areas – and then doubling back a lot on the track that he had already created," Forlenza said.

K9 Dax eventually led officers to the right place.

"We were able to acquire his scent, and over the course of 45 minutes and a mile later, track the offender to another residence," Forlenza said.

Simmons had also broken into that home, police said. He was hiding in a sunroom behind a couch. 

Deputy Forlenza showed us in a training exercise how K-9 Day communicates he has found his target. Forlenza gives Dax the signal, and Dax is ready to attack.

Simmons got a warning beforehand, Forlenza noted.

"We give K-9 warning announcements to hopefully get him to surrender," Forlenza said. "He chose not to."

Thus, Dax bit the suspect to restrain him.

"The offender was given every opportunity to surrender – and again, it was his choice not to," Forlenza said. "So at some point, because they're a threat – obviously, he's a violent offender – Dax is trained in those situations to bite and hold that person, and gain pain compliance to get them to surrender and give up."

Simmons hit K-9 Dax – but we were told Dax was not fazed. He is trained to sustain hits during arrests.

Forlenza says Dax won't let go until he is told everyone is safe.

"My philosophy with Dax is we always work as a team. I don't have him track 30 feet away from me. We're always side by side," Forlenza said. "I'm there to protect him, just like he's there to protect me."

Simmons was arrested and charged with home invasion domestic battery – among other counts.

In:
• Home Invasion
• Gurnee
• Lake County