An Englewood man is facing multiple felony charges after police say he strangled a victim, smashed their phone, and fled the scene in a car that wasn't his — all allegedly in front of the victim's young children. Paul R. Martin, 42, wasn't taken into custody until more than two months after the incident, and he's now being held in Bergen County Jail.
According to Daily Voice, Englewood police responded to a residence on Rock Creek Terrace around 10 p.m. on Aug. 23 after a reported disturbance. By the time officers arrived, Martin had already fled, according to Englewood Police Detective Capt. Renee LaRaia.
Police say the confrontation started as a verbal argument before turning physical. LaRaia said Martin forced the victim's head into a wall and strangled them. Officers allege he then ripped a phone from the victim's hand and broke it, cutting off any immediate way to call for help.
Children Reportedly Witnessed the Attack
The assault allegedly unfolded in front of the victim's minor children, a detail that led directly to a child endangerment charge against Martin. The victim did not require medical treatment, the outlet's report notes. Before officers reached the scene, LaRaia said Martin fled in a vehicle that did not belong to him.
That alleged theft, combined with the assault itself, left Martin facing a lengthy list of charges: robbery, aggravated assault by strangulation, criminal restraint, theft of a stolen motor vehicle, and child endangerment. Authorities accuse him of strangling the victim, slamming their head into a wall, and smashing their phone while children looked on.
Arrest Came Months Later
Records show Martin wasn't taken into custody until more than two months after the August incident. He was lodged in the Bergen County Jail on Oct. 25.
How New Jersey Treats Strangulation Cases
The strangulation charge Martin faces carries serious weight under state law. A 2021 release from the Office of the Governor of New Jersey states that legislation known as S2503 elevated strangulation committed in a domestic-violence context against a domestic-violence victim to a second-degree crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $150,000, or both.
State public safety officials have also flagged how difficult strangulation cases can be to document. A resource from the New Jersey State Police notes that many strangulation injuries leave little visible evidence, with the source indicating only a small share of injuries could even be photographed because the rest were too minor to capture on camera.
