BRIDGEPORT — A city man was in custody Tuesday following an hour-long standoff with police that started when he allegedly threatened to kill his wife and stepdaughter, and then refused to surrender his loaded handgun.
Wilfredo Martinez, 31, of Colorado Avenue, was charged with third-degree assault, risk of injury to a minor, criminal use of a firearm, threatening and first-degree reckless endangerment.
During an arraignment Tuesday in Superior Court, Assistant State's Attorney Stephanie Damiani urged Judge John Blawie to hold Martinez on a high bond.
The judge agreed and ordered Martinez held in lieu of $100,000 bond. He also ordered Martinez to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
The Monday night standoff was precipitated by a domestic dispute between Martinez and his wife, who told police they were arguing over money when he grabbed her by the throat.
When the woman's 16-year-old daughter tried to intervene, Martinez grabbed a loaded 9mm handgun, cocked it and then yelled at the two women, "Do you want this to end? I'll end it," according to police.
When officers arrived, they found Martinez sitting on a couch, with his hand resting on the gun. Police said they ordered Martinez to drop the gun, but instead he told them to get back.
As police tried to get Martinez to surrender the gun, they said he told them at one point, "Go ahead, blow my [expletive] brains out."
Eventually, he agreed to surrender.
Daniel Tepfer, who covers state courts and law enforcement issues, can be reached at 330-6308.
