MYRTLE BEACH — Myrtle Beach police charged a 45-year-old man with choking his wife after the couple argued about the man texting his girlfriend, who is pregnant and living in another country, according to a police report.
Paul Joseph Martorelli, 45, was charged Wednesday evening with criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature after officers were called at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday by the 45-year-old victim to report her husband had “hurt her,” police said. There was a language barrier between police, the victim and Martorelli.
The victim told the officer she saw Martorelli standing in the kitchen of their Quail Marsh apartment at 2005 Greens Blvd., texting someone, according to the report. The victim said she learned it was Martorelli’s girlfriend, who is pregnant and living in the Dominican Republic.
The victim said she asked Martorelli to respect her in her home, but he refused and said he only married the victim to become a U.S. citizen and that he loved his girlfriend, according to the report. The victim said the argument continued and Martorelli grabbed her and held her by her neck against the wall and lifted her off the floor.
Martorelli stopped after another woman, who was in the apartment, walked into the kitchen and yelled at him to stop, the victim told police. The victim was taken to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Martorelli was not at the apartment when police arrived and officers found him later in the day and arrested him, according to the report. The victim told officers that she feared for her life and Martorelli threatened to kill her.
The victim said Martorelli had been living in the Dominican Republic and moved in with her five months ago, according to the report.
Contact TONYA ROOT at 444-1723 or follow her at Twitter.com/tonyaroot.
