Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded about 11:05 p.m. Saturday November 26, 2016 to a vehicle crash in the area of Milwaukee Avenue and West Casey Road in Unincorporated Libertyville. The 911 caller indicated the vehicle crashed into a ditch, and the driver of the vehicle fled the scene on foot.
When Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived on the scene and radioed the license plate of the vehicle, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center informed deputies the vehicle had already fled Round Lake Police Officers earlier in the evening, when Round Lake Police attempted to pull the vehicle over. Additionally, sheriff’s deputies on the scene were informed the registered owner of the vehicle, Michael R. Diaz, 28, of Round Lake Park had a revoked driver’s license and was wanted on an active arrest warrant for resisting a previous arrest. According to police, the suspect is also a documented street-gang member.
Lake County Sheriff’s Canine Team Deputy John Forlenza, along with his canine partner, Dax, arrived on scene and began a track of the driver who fled from the vehicle. Dax successfully picked up the scent of the driver, and the team located Diaz laying down in a ditch. Sheriff’s deputies attempted to take Diaz into custody after being located by canine Dax, but Diaz ran away.
Canine Dax was released and successfully aided in taking Diaz into custody. Diaz was subsequently transported to Advocate Condell Hospital in Libertyville, where he was treated and released for a dog bite to the right shoulder area. Later, Diaz was transported to the Lake County Jail where sheriff’s deputies charged him with driving with a revoked driver’s license (class 4 felony), driving under the influence of alcohol (class A misdemeanor), leaving the scene of an accident (class A misdemeanor), obstructing a peace officer (class A misdemeanor), resisting arrest (class A misdemeanor), operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and other traffic related charges.
Round Lake Police Officers also issued Diaz a number of traffic related charges for the earlier incident when he fled from police officers.
Diaz is due in court on Monday, November 28, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom C-120 for a bond hearing.
Sheriff Curran reminds the public the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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