New Kensington landlord accused of strangling, slapping tenant ordered to stand trial

A New Kensington landlord accused of strangling and slapping a woman during a dispute over when she would move out has been ordered to stand trial.

Terrance Joel Martin Jr., 57, of the 300 block of Altermoor Drive in Harrison was charged with felony strangulation and a count of simple assault by New Kensington police Aug. 10.

He waived his right to a preliminary hearing Sept. 7 before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr., who ordered him to stand trial in Westmoreland County Court. Formal arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 8, according to the court docket.

Martin was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond following his arrest.

Police wrote in a criminal complaint that a woman who rented a home from Martin in the 800 block of Anderson Street in New Kensington reported that she bought a home and told Martin she would be moving out after the closing for the property Sept. 12.

The woman told police Martin later confronted her while she was on the back porch and told her she needed to move out immediately and would be served with an eviction notice the next day, the complaint said.

When Martin “got in her face” and started screaming, the woman told him to back up and then “lightly pushed him back,” the complaint said.

She said Martin responded by grabbing her by the throat with his right hand, throwing her onto a lounge chair and choking her, according to the complaint.

The woman told police she couldn’t breathe and was trying to kick Martin off her until he finally let her free, police said.

She said that when she got up from the lounge chair, Martin backhanded her in the mouth, the complaint said.

Officers who interviewed the woman said she had redness, swelling and bruising around her neck, according to the complaint.