Lake County sheriff's dog Dax hunts down home invasion suspect

Lake County sheriff's office dog Dax is being credited with hunting down a home invasion suspect late Sunday near Gurnee.

Authorities said sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the 36200 block of North Old Creek Court about 8:30 p.m. for reports of a residential break-in.

A caller told 911 operators that he had been on a video chat with a 36-year-old woman at that residence when a man appeared in the video behind the woman. The woman screamed, and the call disconnected.

Deputies found the woman at her home, and she reported she had been battered. She told investigators her attacker was an acquaintance from Georgia, 34-year-old Joshua Simmons, authorities said.

The victim refused medical treatment.

The victim told authorities Simmons had forced his way into her home, struck her in the face and neck, then fled on foot when deputies arrived.

Deputies located Simmons' vehicle parked about a block from the victim's home, and Dax was deployed to track him down.

Dax tracked Simmons to a residence about a mile away, where he was discovered hiding inside a room and refusing to surrender.

Dax was then deployed to remove Simmons from his hiding place and the dog bit Simmons on the arm, authorities said. In the scuffle with the dog, Simmons punched Dax, but the dog was unfazed, authorities said.

Simmons later was taken to a hospital for treatment of the dog bite.

Simmons is charged with home invasion, domestic battery, criminal trespassing to a residence, striking a police dog and resisting arrest.

He is awaiting a bond hearing.