Lake County sheriff's deputies honored for valor

Two Lake County sheriff's deputies on Friday received the Valor Award from the 100 Club of Chicago for their actions involving a fugitive who was wanted in Florida and located in Antioch.

Warrants deputies Tomas Flores and Felix Pena accepted their awards at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel.

On April 15, 2016, Flores received information a wanted fugitive from Florida was in Lake County. The man had arrest warrants for armed robbery, theft of a vehicle and a probation violation, and he was also the suspect in a double homicide in Kentucky, according to the sheriff's office.

The man was last known to be in the Antioch area. Flores located the man's vehicle in the parking lot of a bar and requested additional resources.

The fugitive left the bar and drove to another nearby bar, where he parked and remained inside his vehicle. Pena and two other members of a fugitive task force arrived on the scene.

As Flores, Pena, and the two task force members approached, the man produced a large-caliber revolver, according to the sheriff's office.

Pena alerted the others by shouting "Gun!" The man was told to put the gun down but pointed it at Pena, police said. Pena and Flores and the other task force members fired into the vehicle, striking the fugitive, and preventing him from firing on police.

"Deputy Flores and Deputy Pena showed extreme bravery, putting their lives on the line to apprehend a dangerous fugitive," said Sheriff Mark Curran.

Since 1980 the 100 Club of Chicago has given The Hundred Club Valor Award to police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders serving in Cook and Lake County to those who have performed actions above and beyond the call of duty.

It is the only civilian award permitted to be worn on the uniform in every municipality within Cook and Lake County.