Man charged with gun, drug crimes after Mount Prospect road-rage incident

A Wheeling man faces multiple felony charges in connection with a road-rage incident last week in Mount Prospect, police announced Sunday.

Edwin C. Laguna, 38, of the 300 block of Highland Avenue, is charged with armed violence, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, aggravated assault using a deadly weapon, unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a controlled substance stemming from the March 22 confrontation, police said.

He faces additional misdemeanor charges including disorderly conduct, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of cannabis, police said.

Authorities said the charges follow events that began about 4 p.m. March 22, when two minors told police they had been followed for about 7 miles by a blue Jeep SUV that was driving aggressively at their vehicle. They first noticed the driver in the 1100 block of Boxwood Drive in Mount Prospect, police said.

The minors told police the SUV’s driver was gesturing at them, and they thought it might be gang signs, officials said. At one point, the minors told police, they saw what appeared to be a red light pointing at them and something in the driver’s hand.

After the juveniles drove to the police station for help, authorities said, investigators used license plate reading cameras to identify the vehicle, which they found it in the 500 block of Dogwood Lane with three people inside.

According to police, officers found a handgun with a red laser attachment, open containers of alcohol, drug paraphernalia and what they believed to be drugs in the vehicle.

Laguna was ordered to remain in custody pending his next court date, set for Tuesday at the Cook County courthouse in Rolling Meadows.