Hunter
08/18/23
A dispute over a vehicle accident led to the arrest of an Iowa City man on assault charges.
Police say the incident occurred on the 10 block of South Linn Street Monday night around 9:30. 31-year-old Jean Martinez was reportedly informed by another motorist that Martinez hit his car and he was going to call police. Martinez allegedly told the man not to contact authorities, and when the man called 911 Martinez reportedly began punching the man repeatedly in the face.
The victim suffered several small scratches to his face and reported his eye swollen shut with baseball-sized swelling and pain the next day.
Authorities learned that Martinez was in possession of a shotgun that he previously displayed at the public and obtained a search warrant of his Triple Crown Lane apartment. A 12 gauge shotgun was reportedly located, as well as several rounds of ammunition for the firearm. Martinez is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms as the result of an Assault causing Serious Injury felony conviction from an incident in August 2019.
Martinez faces charges of Assault causing Bodily Injury, Obstruction of Emergency Communications, and Dominion or Control of a Firearm as a Felon. If convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced to over six years in prison.