A Butler man is facing aggravated assault and robbery charges after a string of incidents that started around 7 p.m. Thursday in Clarion.
A criminal complaint filed through District Judge Duane Quinn’s office said Clarion police responded to the area of Eighth Avenue and Wood Street for a two-vehicle accident.
Police were updated en route that the accident had been a hit-and-run. The driver, identified as 39-year-old Jacob Martinez, had pulled into a parking area near University Korner on Main Street and fled on foot toward Arnold Avenue, the complaint said.
Police then spoke with the other driver involved in the accident, whose vehicle was parked at 48 S. Eighth Ave. with disabling damage to the front bumper. The driver said she was delivering a pizza in the area and had been attempting to turn left into a driveway when Martinez passed her in the left lane and the vehicles impacted, the complaint said.
Police discovered the vehicle Martinez was driving belonged to a Clarion woman, the complaint said.
Police were then called to a Hedrick Street apartment for a report of an incident involving a knife. A woman living there told police that a man had come to her door asking for assistance, the complaint said.
She said the man, later identified as Martinez, had informed her that he had been in an accident and needed to call his friend. The man borrowed a cell phone to make the call, but he would not return the phone, the complaint said.
An altercation ensued with Martinez and two men at the apartment, and Martinez pulled out a knife and threatened to cut one of the men, the complaint said.
Martinez, the complaint said, did cut one of the men on the arm and bit the other before the men removed him from the apartment.
The two men were transported to Clarion Hospital for medical treatment, the complaint said.
The woman at the apartment told police that she had been in fear for her life and showed police where the altercation took place inside her home. Her couch and floor contained blood, and blood-soaked towels were located in the kitchen sink, the complaint said.
Police called the woman with whom Martinez had spoken on the cell phone and discovered Martinez had stolen his girlfriend’s vehicle, the complaint said. The car had also been reported stolen by its owner, the complaint said.
Police drove to the apartment of Martinez’s girlfriend, who denied knowledge of his location, according to the complaint.
Martinez was taken into custody, and officers detected an odor of alcohol coming from Martinez, who would not consent to a blood test, the complaint said.
Martinez’s girlfriend said he had wanted to drive to Butler to visit some friends. The woman said she did not want to go on the trip, and Martinez subsequently took her vehicle while she was sleeping, the complaint said.
Police found Martinez was wanted on a probation warrant out of Butler County and placed him in the Clarion County jail, the complaint said.
Martinez is facing felony counts of aggravated assault and attempted robbery – inflict serious bodily injury, in addition to misdemeanor counts of DUI, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, accident involving damage to an unattended vehicle/property and two counts of simple assault.
He is also facing summary counts of driving without a license, driving while operating privileges are suspended and careless driving.
Martinez is awaiting a preliminary hearing.