A 38-year-old Farmington man has been charged with first-degree kidnapping after a woman alleged he repeatedly prevented her from leaving a vehicle during a confrontation in Farmington, according to a criminal complaint and statement of probable cause filed in Farmington Magistrate Court in San Juan County.

Britten Aaron Farr, 38, is charged with first-degree kidnapping, battery against a household member and four additional misdemeanor or petty misdemeanor offenses filed in connection with the investigation. All charges are allegations based on court records, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

According to the probable cause statement, a Farmington police officer was dispatched at approximately 6:06 p.m. to the area of Butler and East Main Street after callers reported a woman was trying to get out of a moving white Toyota Corolla during a physical confrontation.

Police reported receiving multiple calls about the vehicle. According to the statement, officers later located the woman behind a building near 560 E. Main St. The responding officer described her as distressed and crying, and she told police she had been hit and wanted medical attention.

According to the probable cause statement, the woman told police Farr had picked her up on Southside River Road. She alleged Farr became upset after asking her to have sex and she refused.

The woman told police she later attempted to get out of the vehicle but Farr allegedly would not allow her to leave. According to the statement, she said she attempted to stop the vehicle by using the emergency brake and alleged Farr struck her arm, pulled her hair and hit her in the head and back.

The responding officer reported observing visible injuries on the woman’s left arm and back and photographing them. Court records state the woman and Farr described themselves as having been in a relationship for approximately 14 years.

Police also documented Farr’s account of the confrontation. According to the probable cause statement, Farr told an officer the woman had repeatedly hit him and nearly caused him to crash. Farr allegedly said he had blocked her hits. The officer reported seeing no visible injuries on Farr but noted redness on some of his knuckles.

According to the statement, while Farr was being transported to the San Juan County Adult Detention Center, he told another officer he had not allowed the woman to get out of the car because he wanted her to calm down first. Police reported Farr said she had wanted to leave the vehicle near Sam’s Club on East Main Street but that he did not allow her out until they reached the area near 560 E. Main St.

Witness accounts described in the probable cause statement also differed on portions of the physical confrontation. One witness told police he saw the woman repeatedly attempting to get out of the vehicle while the male driver allegedly pulled her back inside and prevented her from leaving.

A separate anonymous caller told police she observed the woman hitting the man and described both people as physically fighting. The caller also reported seeing the woman repeatedly attempting to get out of the vehicle.

According to police, Farr was detained during the investigation. Officers reported he did not have a valid driver’s license or current proof of insurance. The probable cause statement also alleges the vehicle’s windshield was cracked in a manner that limited visibility for the driver.

Police further allege a sergeant found a switchblade in Farr’s overalls while he was detained. According to the statement, the knife opened by pressing a button and had an approximately 4-inch blade. The knife was taken into evidence.

CHARGES FILED

The criminal complaint filed in Farmington Magistrate Court lists the following charges:

• Kidnapping (in the first degree) — first-degree felony
• Battery against a household member — misdemeanor
• No driver’s license — Motor Vehicle Code misdemeanor
• No proof of insurance — Motor Vehicle Code misdemeanor
• Improper equipment — driving, moving or causing to be moved an unsafe vehicle — penalty assessment misdemeanor
• Unlawful possession of switchblades — petty misdemeanor

CASE STATUS

According to the probable cause statement, Farr was arrested Sept. 21 and transported to the San Juan County Adult Detention Center.

On Sept. 22, prosecutors filed a motion seeking an expedited pretrial detention hearing and concurrent preliminary examination. The state asked that any bond be revoked, that the case be transferred to District Court for further proceedings and that Farr be detained pending trial.

In support of its request, the state’s motion listed prior convictions and five previous domestic-violence cases involving the same alleged victim that prosecutors said were dismissed because of the alleged victim’s lack of cooperation. The motion also asserts Farr violated probation several times but does not provide details about those alleged violations.

The detention filing represents the state’s arguments in support of detention and is not itself a judicial finding that detention is warranted.

The state’s motion states Farr was in custody at the San Juan County Adult Detention Center when it was filed. The supplied court records do not include a judge’s ruling on the detention request.

The supplied records reviewed for this report do not include an attorney entry of appearance for Farr. The detention motion’s certificate of delivery states that a copy was served on the Law Offices of the Public Defender.

SOURCE

According to a criminal complaint and statement of probable cause filed Sept. 22, 2026, in Farmington Magistrate Court, case M-47-FR-2026-00530, and a State of New Mexico motion for an expedited pretrial detention hearing filed the same day under District Court proceeding D-1116-PD-2026-00042.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

All charges are allegations based on court records, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.