Northern New Mexico’s public safety entities are scrambling to prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus while maintaining the basic infrastructure of the criminal justice system and emergency services.

The police blotter is published to give readers an abridged look at criminal activity in their community and neighborhood. It is simply an illustration of what local law enforcement, funded by taxpayers, must deal with daily throughout the Española Valley.

New Mexico State Police began a two-week crime suppression operation March 7 in Española and surrounding communities as far north as Chama and Taos.

Three people are in custody awaiting trial for allegedly kidnapping a woman in Española over allegedly stolen drugs Feb. 28, dousing her with bleach to destroy evidence, injecting her with heroin with the intent to overdose her, and pushing her off a bridge into the Rio Grande.

Parents of a student with special needs at Española Valley High School said their son was bullied and that administrators at the Española School District blocked a police investigation and prevented them from looking at records created by a private investigator.

Damian Herrera’s lawyers say the 24-year-old is fit to stand trial for the 2017 murders of three of his family members and two apparent strangers.