BEDFORD — A homeless man was arrested for public intoxication after allegedly harassing customers and exhibiting visible signs of extreme impairment at a Marshall’s store in Bedford.
Jason W. Martin, 45, was taken into custody on November 1, 2025, after refusing multiple requests to leave the property.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Bedford Police Officer Brian Sorrells, officers were dispatched to Marshall’s following a report of a male subject harassing customers and appearing intoxicated.
Officer Sorrells made contact with Martin at the rear of the store. Martin, who was pushing a shopping cart, became argumentative when asked to move to the front of the store to speak with the officer, prompting a request for backup.
Once at the front, Officer Sorrells explained that a store employee had called about him harassing customers and dropping a knife on the floor several times.
The affidavit notes that while speaking with Martin, he displayed several clear signs of impairment, including being unsteady on his feet, slurred speech, constricted pupils, and making unintelligible or nonsensical statements.
Martin claimed he had taken several medications that day, including suboxone and neurontin, but insisted he was not impaired. When asked to perform a voluntary field sobriety test, he was unable to maintain his balance even while standing and could not begin the test.
During the interaction, officers noticed Martin was wearing a new pair of shoes with the sales tag loop still attached. The shoes were confirmed by the Assistant Manager as belonging to Marshall’s and had not been paid for. Martin was instructed to remove his shoes, which he did. However, the Assistant Manager ultimately declined to file theft charges, stating that she only wanted Martin to leave the premises for the day.
Despite repeated warnings and opportunities to leave the property, Martin remained argumentative and continued to linger directly in front of the store. Once outside, his intoxication became more obvious, as he reportedly nearly fell into the large plate-glass window.
Due to his inability to care for his own safety and his refusal to leave the area, Martin was arrested and transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
