Neighborhood dispute over football in yard leads to Hempfield man's arrest, police say

A backyard family reunion Sunday in Hempfield turned sour when state police said neighbors refused to return a football to children at the party after it was thrown on their property.

The situation escalated from a neighborhood dispute to an alleged assault when Joseph Martino, 60, fought with state troopers who arrived to get the football returned, according to court papers.

Martino was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, terroristic threats, simple assault, resisting arrest, harassment and disorderly conduct. He posted $100,000 bail Tuesday and was released from the Westmoreland County Prison, according to online court records.

Valetta Payne said Tuesday that children were tossing around a football in the backyard of her sister’s Skyline Drive home when one of them missed a catch.

“It went over in their yard a couple feet,” she said.

A woman came outside from the neighboring house, grabbed the ball and took it inside. Payne said she later tried to get the $18 football back from the neighbors, but was told they were keeping it for a few days to teach the children a lesson. She called state police.

Payne next described a wild scene on the normally quiet residential street — Martino came outside and fought with two troopers, some of whom were talking to his mother and sister about the situation. The troopers had minor cuts and bruises, according to court papers.

One woman kicked a trooper and both women were arrested, police said. Charges had not been filed against them Tuesday.

No one answered the door at Martino’s residence on Tuesday. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 21.

“We really don’t want to file charges over anything, we just want the football,” said Payne, noting the ball eventually was returned Sunday.