County firefighters salute a fallen brother

Representatives of Sandoval County Fire and Rescue Department and Sheriff’s Office stand in front of a vehicle display on an overpass to honor retired Las Vegas firefighter Frank Lovato as the procession escorting his body home passes by Sunday.

Lovato was killed in a head-on collision with Santa Fe Police Officer Robert Duran, a Rio Rancho resident, as Duran pursued a vehicle he was told carried a kidnapping victim on I-25 near Santa Fe. Duran also died in the crash.

Police later said the alleged kidnapping victim, 46-year-old Jeannine Jaramillo, lied about the entire incident, wasn’t kidnapped and was driving the car that led police on a pursuit the wrong way on I-25. She has been charged with two counts of felony murder or vehicular homicide, among other offenses.

Photos courtesy of Humberto Macias, Sandoval County Fire and Rescue Department district battalion chief