Penn Township man returned to Westmoreland County Prison to await trial for firing at cops

A Penn Township man is back in jail after allegedly threatening a witness in an upcoming case.

Jody J. Martz, 55, was released from the Westmoreland County prison last spring to await trial for firing a rifle shot that nearly hit a police officer in 2016.

Martz is scheduled to go to trial Jan. 13 on more than a dozen criminal charges including attempted homicide, assault on a police officer and aggravated assault.

He was remanded Friday to the county prison without bail following his arrest on two counts of intimidating a witness and a single count of retaliation against a witness. The charges were filed by township police in connection with an incident Dec. 26 at the home of a female witness.

Township Detective Brad Buchsbaum and county Detective John Clark allege in court documents that the female victim told police that Martz appeared unannounced at her home about 6:30 p.m. Dec. 26 “and started to question her about what she was going to testify about at his upcoming court trial.”

The victim told police that Martz also began “poking her in the chest, was in her face, smelled of booze and looked angry while asking her about what she was going to testify in court.”

The victim told investigators she felt so intimidated that “she was so threatened that she had to back away from Martz and stand behind a table to create a distance.”

Buchsbaum noted in court documents that when Martz was granted release May 31 by Judge Tim Krieger to await trial, he was instructed to stay away from all witnesses in the case. In addition, Buchsbaum noted that probation officers who have been monitoring Martz instructed him that he was not permitted to consume alcohol.

Township Patrolman David Noll has testified that the Aug. 31, 2016, gun blast at Martz’s home crossed his chest and arm while he stood near the door and damaged his uniform, severing the chain on his traffic whistle. It was the only time he was fired upon in his 28-year law enforcement career, Noll said.

Noll and other officers were responding to a 911 call from women inside Martz’s Thomas Street home in the village of Claridge. The women said he had assaulted them during a home decorating party his wife was hosting.

In addition to Noll, Buchsbaum also testified against Martz’s release at a hearing before Krieger May 31.

“We were already called for one incident there involving a police officer being shot at, and I am concerned the behavior could repeat itself,” Buchsbaum told Krieger in May.

However, Krieger granted a motion filed by Martz’s private attorney, Jeff Monzo, under the state’s “speedy trial” law, which says defendants cannot remain in jail longer than 180 days without a trial. Martz had been held for trial on $500,000 bail since his arrest Aug. 31, 2016.

Martz has blamed the shooting incident on “extreme intoxication,” according to court documents. In September, Krieger ruled that he can argue to jurors at his upcoming trial that he was intoxicated, but cannot tell jurors his actions were less serious because he was drunk.

Monzo could not immediately be reached for comment.

Martz’s hearing on the new complaints is scheduled Jan. 7 before Harrison City District Judge Helen Kistler.