Lake County sheriff canine helps capture man who ran from police

A Lake County sheriff’s office canine helped capture a man who tried to run from deputies after crashing his vehicle late Saturday in the northern suburbs.

About 11:05 p.m., deputies responded to a crash at Milwaukee Avenue and West Casey Road in unincorporated Libertyville and found a vehicle crashed into a ditch, according to the sheriff’s office.

They learned the driver of the vehicle fled Round Lake police officers earlier Saturday evening when they tried to pull the vehicle over, according to the sheriff’s office.

The registered owner of the vehicle, 28-year-old Michael R. Diaz of Round Lake, was wanted on an active arrest warrant for resisting a previous arrest, according to the sheriff’s office. He also had a revoked driver’s license and is a documented gang member.

Sheriff’s deputy John Forlenza and his canine partner Dax began tracking the driver and found Diaz lying in a ditch, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies tried to take him into custody, but he ran away.

Dax was released and helped take Diaz into custody, according to the sheriff’s office.

Diaz was taken to Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was treated and released for a dog bite to the right shoulder, according to the sheriff’s office. He was charged with one felony count of driving with a revoked driver’s license and misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident, obstructing a peace officer, resisting arrest and other traffic-related charges.