By LISA BACKUS
Herald staff

NEW BRITAIN — A city man was arrested Friday after officers reportedly found two “eight balls” of crack cocaine in his rental car.

Luis Lopez, 21, of 219 Beaver St., was arrested after officers stopped him for driving without his headlights on. Lopez was in a car allegedly rented from Thrifty rentals on Allen Street that had an expired registration and he was driving with a suspended license, police said.

“Officers saw a lot of air fresheners in the car which usually indicates drug use,” Sgt. Jeannette Saccente said. “When they went to check out the car they found two small children lying down in the back seat with no child restraints.”

Police also found two “eight balls” of crack cocaine that weighed about 8.9 grams, and 8 grams of marijuana in the car, Saccente said.

Lopez was charged with possession of more than a half ounce of crack with intent to sell, possession of narcotics with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of narcotics, possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, operating with a suspended license, operating an unregistered vehicle, and two counts of transporting a child without a car seat.

He was released after posting $25,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court Jan. 8.