Woman arrested after shooting heroin in car

A 23-year-old Hayden woman who was arrested by police after a motorist watched her shoot drugs into her arms with a needle while riding in a car, is in the Kootenai County Jail on a heroin trafficking charge.

Janell A. Martinez appeared Thursday in First District Court where Magistrate Clark Peterson set bond at $50,000. He charged Martinez with trafficking heroin under 7 grams, which carries a mandatory minimum three-year prison sentence, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor.

Police received a report around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday that a woman who was a passenger in a blue Volkswagen in the Super 1 parking lot in Coeur d’Alene was shooting up drugs. Officers followed the car to Industrial Loop and Engineer Street on the west end of Kathleen Avenue where Martinez left the Volkswagen and got into a blue Ford Escort, according to a police report.

Police learned Christopher Olsen, 26, the driver of the Volkswagen, was on probation. When officers checked his car, police allegedly found paraphernalia including needles, a scale and baggies.

Police said Martinez told police she had been clean for at least three years, but officers had her show her arms and noticed a fresh injection mark, dried blood and a rose and skull tattoo on her right arm. She admitted to police to having approximately 6 grams of black tar heroin, in separate baggies, which was seized by officers.

Police also seized a cellphone, and what appeared to be a ledger detailing drug deals, according to the report.

Olsen was charged with frequenting a place where drugs are used, a misdemeanor, and booked into the Kootenai County jail, where he was additionally charged with a probation violation. A hearing has not been set in his case.

Martinez’s next appearance is June 27 in Coeur d’Alene magistrate’s court for a probable cause hearing conference.