Wauconda man facing drug charges after traffic stop

A Wauconda man is facing drug charges after a traffic stop Jan. 31, Wauconda officials said Friday.

Louis A. Nava Jr., 51, is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, according to a news release from the Wauconda Police Department.

Officers initiated a traffic stop on a Ford Fusion traveling east on Bonner Road near Fairfield Road at 6:20 p.m. following multiple traffic violations, the release said.

After the traffic stop, a police officer requested a police dog to search the vehicle based on reasonable suspicion and probable cause, authorities said. Police dog Badger and his handler, Officer Jon Finze, conducted the external search; Badger alerted on both driver and passenger sides of the vehicle, according to the release.

A complete search of the car revealed two glass crack pipes, a scale with white residue, one small plastic bag containing 21 pills of oxycodone, and seven small plastic bags containing a white-rock-like substance suspected to be crack cocaine, according to police. The suspected crack tested positive for the presence of cocaine, and weighed 37.2 grams, police said.

Nava Jr. was taken to Lake County court, where he made his appearance and was remanded to custody.