By Roger Lanse

As a Bayard Police Department officer was patrolling the area of Central Avenue and Mayo Street on Saturday, Apr. 6, 2024, at about 7 a.m., he noticed a male standing by the Bayard Post Office and observed damage to the front door of the post office.

According to a BPD incident report, the officer made contact with the male, who identified himself as Raymond Chavez with a birthdate of Aug.15,1989. He denied any knowledge of the door's damage – "I don't know. That's what I was just looking at, Bro." The male then walked away although the officer requested him to stay. Based on bodycam footage, the male was identified as Christopher Amador, 34, of Silver City. The Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority informed the officer Amador had a felony warrant for his arrest.

Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies and the officer attempted to locate Amador but were unsuccessful.

Inside the post office, the officer saw a broken table, glass on the floor, and some keys on another table. The key chain had a General Motors emblem and a deputy stated they had contact with Amador the day before when his Chevy Blazer got stuck at Signal Peak. With that information, it was believed that Amador could be the suspect.

The postmistress estimated the damage to the glass door and table to be $1,500.

Later, on Monday, Apr. 8, officers interviewed Amador at the Grant County Detention Center. When showed the keys officers had found at the post office, the report stated Amador said those didn't look like his keys and when asked if they would start his Blazer, he answered any key would start that vehicle because of a faulty ignition.

Amador, according to the report, stated at the interview he was high on Apr. 6, and trying to get away from a white car which was following him and he pulled on the post office door too hard and the glass shattered. As he was scared, he said, he went inside and broke the table to make a bat. When asked why the people in the white car were following him, Amador stated. "I have no reason to b******t you. Drugs, you know what I mean?"

Amador was asked why he originally gave a fake name to the officer, and he said he knew he had a warrant and didn't want to go to jail.

Amador is being charged with breaking and entering, concealing identity, and criminal damage to property.

According to GCDC staff, Amador remains in custody there as of Apr. 15, 2024.