Keller PD

Russ Martin

An emergency protective order prohibits local radio personality Russ Martin from approaching the woman he’s accused of assaulting and threatening with a pistol last week at his Southlake home.

Southlake Judge Carol Montgomery, who issued the 61-day order Friday, also suspended Mr. Martin’s concealed handgun license.

Mr. Martin, 47, the host of the Russ Martin Show on KLLI-FM (105.3), was arrested Friday on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the July 14 incident at his home on Byron Nelson Parkway.

The 27-year-old woman, who said she was engaged to Mr. Martin, reported the incident to police the next day.

Mr. Martin’s attorney, Tim Powers, declined to comment on the allegation.

“This is not trial by media,” Mr. Powers said. “We welcome the opportunity to present our set of facts to the Tarrant County district attorney.”

The woman, whose name has not been released, told police that Mr. Martin became irate after phoning home and learning she had failed to follow up with an IRS agent about a package delivery. She said he told her the IRS was trying to “take his house and everything he owned.”

“When he arrived home, Mr. Martin began screaming at the woman to come downstairs,” according to an arrest warrant affidavit released today.

When the woman refused, the affidavit says, Mr. Martin went upstairs and began kicking and pushing her desk, destroying it, a bookcase and other personal items, the affidavit says.

The woman accuses Mr. Martin of pushing her against a wall, kicking her and pulling hair out of her head, police said. She said he also grabbed a Glock pistol from a counter.

“He then started pacing around the kitchen holding the gun,” the affidavit said.

The semiautomatic pistol was turned over to a court officer, said Lt. Rhonda Moore, a spokeswoman for Southlake police.

Police said the woman had several red spots on the back of her head where her hair had been ripped out. She also had an abrasion behind her right ear and told investigators Mr. Martin bruised her left thigh when he kicked her.

Mr. Martin was arrested Friday morning at Larry North Fitness Center in Southlake.

“He offered no resistance to officers and was not armed at the time of the arrest,” Lt. Moore said.

Mr. Martin was taken to the Keller Jail and was released after posting a $10,000 bond, police said.

The Southlake Police Department presented its case to the Tarrant County district attorney’s office for review, Lt. Moore said.

Mr. Martin was not on the air Monday, but he has not been suspended and is expected to return Tuesday, said the station’s general manager, David Henry.

He has no previous arrest history with Southlake, and records show no history of assaults or disturbances at his home, officials said.

Mr. Martin’s local charity work includes The Russ Martin Show Listeners Foundation, which assists the families of officers and firefighters in Dallas-Fort Worth who have died in the line of duty.

The talk show host’s attorney said he’s in good spirits and “taking everything in stride.”

“Russ is a great person,” Mr. Powers said. “He’s a very resilient person. Obviously, when someone is arrested for a second-degree felony, it’s serious.”

Staff writer Marice Richter contributed to this report.