MANHATTAN, NY — This week, a woman’s terrified screams cut through the noise of a Times Square subway car, totally wrecking the midday vibe. Some career creep with a rap sheet longer than the damn train allegedly tried to rape her. Tyriek Martin, 34, a homeless man arrested over 70 times, now sits behind bars—but with a $250,000 bail that’s sparking outrage and questions about justice in the Big Apple.
It went down around 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, February 20, 2025, aboard a northbound W train. Alone with his 34-year-old victim, Martin didn’t hesitate. Cops say he slammed her head into a pole, threw her to the floor, pinned her down, and attempted to assault her. She fought back, screaming for help as the train rolled into Times Square-42 Street station. Good Samaritans rushed in, scaring Martin off—though not before her nightmare became all too real.
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NYPD nabbed him late Friday, February 21, after tips and his own notorious history gave him away. By Saturday night, he faced Judge Robert Rosenthal in Manhattan Criminal Court, charged with attempted first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, and third-degree assault. Prosecutors pushed for $250,000 bail, and the judge agreed. But here’s the kicker: Martin’s past includes bashing a 2-year-old with a suitcase in 2021, hurling a spray can at an NYPD transit worker in 2022, and dozens of other run-ins since 2006—yet he’s still been cut loose time and again. Twice, courts deemed him mentally unfit to stand trial; his latest arrest, for drugs last August, barely kept him off the streets.
Now, locked up but with a bail option, critics are fuming. “This guy’s a walking red flag—how’s he even eligible to walk free?” one local vented online. Martin’s next move hinges on whether he—or someone—can cough up the cash. Meanwhile, his victim’s left scarred, and subway riders are on edge.
