Police: Seymour sergeant charged in domestic case
“We are highly disappointed by these recent events. Sgt. Jonathan Martin’s actions do not represent what we expect from our police officers. It is my hope his conduct does not negatively reflect upon the men and women of the Seymour Police Department who come to work every day, in these unprecedented times, and conduct themselves in a professional manner and do an outstanding job protecting our community.”
Seymour Police Chief Paul Satkowski
WATERBURY — A Seymour police sergeant was arrested Wednesday following a domestic disturbance at his Waterbury home, police officials said.
Jonathan Martin, 40, was charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor and disorderly conduct.
An incident report indicated he was expected in court Thursday. There were no updated court records available on the judicial website Thursday afternoon.
“We are highly disappointed by these recent events,” Seymour Police Chief Paul Satkowski said in a statement. “Sgt. Jonathan Martin’s actions do not represent what we expect from our police officers. It is my hope his conduct (Wednesday) does not negatively reflect upon the men and women of the Seymour Police Department who come to work every day, in these unprecedented times, and conduct themselves in a professional manner and do an outstanding job protecting our community.”
Satkowski said Martin is using paid time off as the case proceeds through the judicial system. Martin was hired in Seymour in 2007 after working for the Ansonia Police Department, Seymour Deputy Chief Robert Rinaldi said.
Police said Martin’s arrest stemmed from an incident involving Martin and a woman at his home.
Officers were called to a Glenford Drive home around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday on a report about a domestic-related incident involving the victim and Martin, who was identified to officers as a Seymour police sergeant, according to the incident report.
There were two children in the home at the time of the incident, police said, who did not have any apparent injuries.
The report said the victim told investigating officers that Martin “went out drinking” after his shift and got home around 2:45
a.m. She told police Martin tried to “tempt her into sexual activity,” but she pushed him off and told him no multiple times, the incident report said.
The victim told police that’s when Martin “threw a beer can at her that missed and struck a wall, spilling beer everywhere,” the report said. The victim said the noise woke the children, the report said.
The report said the victim tried to get away from Martin, who she said
“grabbed and twisted her right arm.”
The victim was able to make two audio recordings of the incident, which investigating officers said were submitted into evidence, according to the report.
She told officers once she called a family member, who notified police, she was able to get the children and leave the home without further incident, the report stated.
When officers knocked on the door to speak with Martin, they said he pulled back a curtain and refused to answer the door, the report said. He also did not cooperate when a Waterbury sergeant identified himself as law enforcement, according to the report.
There were no “active orders” between the victim and Martin at the time of the incident, police said in the report.
Officers returned to the home later in the day, but Martin again refused to answer the door, the report said.
The report said Martin eventually came out of the home after Waterbury police contacted Rinaldi.
“After a lengthy time and another series of additional efforts, Jonathan finally emerged from the residence where he was then taken in custody,” the report said. “At that time, Jonathan had voluntarily turned his service weapon over to Seymour Deputy Chief Rinaldi per their department policies and procedures.”
Martin was taken to police headquarters and booked on the charges.
The Waterbury police detective division is “in the process” of recovering two remaining guns in the home, the report said.
The statewide domestic violence hotline can be reached in English at 888-774-2900 and in Spanish at 844-831-9200.