A Farmington man faces kidnapping and other charges after police alleged he kicked in an apartment door, assaulted another man and forced a woman into a vehicle during a May 2 incident in Farmington, according to court records.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Farmington Magistrate Court, Daniel Robert Fernandez, 21, was arrested after officers located a gray pickup truck following a search involving Farmington police and San Juan County sheriff’s deputies.
Police were initially dispatched around 1:22 a.m. to an apartment complex on Cliffside Drive for a reported breaking and entering. According to court records, the reporting party told dispatch a man had been banging on the door and yelling for someone inside who did not live at the residence.
Investigators allege Fernandez kicked open the apartment door and confronted another man before punching him in the face. Court records state the door latch was broken and holes were left in the wall behind the door where the knob and deadbolt struck.
According to the complaint, witnesses told police Fernandez then grabbed a woman and forced her into his truck outside the residence. Witnesses reported hearing the woman repeatedly tell Fernandez to stop and let her out of the vehicle as it drove away, according to court records.
Police reported the woman later told investigators she did not willingly enter the truck and did not feel free to leave during the drive. According to court records, she alleged Fernandez repeatedly struck her in the face and head while accusing her of cheating on him.
The complaint states the woman told officers she attempted to get out of the vehicle while it was moving, but Fernandez allegedly pulled her back into the truck by her hair.
According to police, the woman later ran into a residence in the south side of Farmington after Fernandez dropped her off. Officers reported observing swelling to her lips, nose, and cheek, along with dried blood near her mouth and ear. Police stated the injuries appeared consistent with her account of the incident.
Investigators reported recovering a voicemail and other evidence during the investigation. Police also stated officers observed what they described as apparent blood droplets on the driver’s side window of Fernandez’s truck and what officers described as apparent hair on the dashboard. The vehicle was sealed and towed pending a search warrant.
Investigators also seized Fernandez’s cellphone and laptop, according to court records.
CHARGES FILED
- Kidnapping
- Aggravated burglary
- Interference with communications
- Battery against a household member
- Battery
- Criminal damage to property
CASE STATUS
Fernandez was booked into the San Juan County Adult Detention Center following his arrest.
Online court records did not list an attorney for Fernandez as of publication.
SOURCE
Information for this article was obtained from a statement of probable cause and criminal complaint filed in Farmington Magistrate Court.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
All charges are allegations based on court records, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.