Snowy footprints lead to home invasion suspects

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Footprints in the snow lead New Haven police to two men who allegedly assaulted an elderly man during a home invasion early Monday morning.

Just after midnight Monday, police rushed to 98 Clinton Ave. to investigate the reported home invasion.

Upon arrival, officers found a frightened 71-year-old man with a swollen lip.

The man told police he'd gone out around 11:45 p.m. to talk his dog, when he noticed two Hispanic men standing just beyond his front gate. He said the two men rushed at him.

He told police that he yelled at the men to leave as he ran to his front door, but the men ran in behind him.

When he ordered them men out, one of them punched him in the face, police said. The men then threw him around the living room, knocking him into walls, police added.

According to police, the commotion woke the man's 61-year-old wife, who ran to get help from her son-in-law and daughter who lived in a second floor apartment.

The couple's son-in-law confronted the suspects, physically pushing them out the front door as he locked it, police said.

When the son-in-law saw the men returning to the home, he went outside and told them that they better leave and that he'd called police. He said one of the men said, "I'm sorry" several times.

The suspects then fled toward Pine Street, then Atwater Street.

After getting an ambulance for the injured elderly resident, police went outside to find two sets of footprints in the snow.

Police followed the footprints to the rear porch of 70 Atwater Street, where the footprints in the snow continued as wet footprints leading up the rear staircase to the multi-family house.

As officers made their way up the staircase, 31-year-old Jimmy Ramirez, of 70 Atwater St., ran toward them from the 2nd floor saying, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it. I blacked out."

Police said they then found his accomplice upstairs. As 19-year-old Angel Pagan, of Clinton Ave., was being handcuffed, he said, "What's the problem, we just went into the house. We said sorry."

Both Ramirez and Pagan were charged with home invasion, first-degree burglary, third-degree assault of an elderly person, and criminal mischief.