Man breaks into ex-girlfriends, beats 2 men with bottle

BRANFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- An East Haven man was arrested Sunday after invading his ex-girlfriend's home and assaulting two male friends who were visiting.

The incident occurred around noon, at the Jefferson Woods Condominiums, on Monticello Drive in Branford.

According to Branford Police, Giovanni Rivera, 19, of 18 Ledyard Place, East Haven, kicked in the front door of the condo and began assaulting the 18 and 20-year-old victims with a bottle, causing blunt force trauma, cuts, and puncture wounds.

Both victims were taken to an area medical facility for treatment of serious, non-life threatening injuries.

Sergeant David Galdenzi, who supervised the officers that responded to the home said, "we are working with detectives now to determine the motive for this violent attack. Preliminarily it appears that Rivera was upset that his ex-girlfriend had become friends with the male victims."

Rivera was charged with two counts of home invasion, two counts of first-degree assault, second-degree strangulation, possession of less than 1/2 ounce of marijuana, first-degree criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.

He is being held on $750,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in New Haven Court on Monday at 9 a.m.