Men Held on $5K Cash Bail on Armed Robbery, Assault Charges

Two men who police say beat up an acquaintance on Main Street Tuesday, following a reported armed robbery of the same victim Sunday, were being held Wednesday on $5,000 cash bail, in an arraignment before the clerk-magistrate of Milford District Court.

Arraignment will be continued Thursday before a judge. At that time, the judge also will be asked to consider whether bail should be revoked for one of the defendants for charges in another case relating to a home invasion, assault and robbery in Milford.

Christopher Hernandez, 25, of 16 Jefferson St., Milford, is charged with assault and battery, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace, as well as armed robbery and conspiracy, according to the court records.

Darren Jones, 19, of 16 Jefferson St., Milford, is charged with disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace, relating to the street fight, as well as armed robbery and conspiracy. Jones had been released on bail since May, when he was charged by police in a home invasion robbery in Milford.  An assistant district attorney has asked that that bail be revoked, citing probable cause that Jones has committed another crime. A judge is expected to decide that request Thursday.

The arrests Tuesday followed a fight on Main Street that caused such a scene that it triggered a car crash, according to police. After separating the men and interviewing the victim, police said they learned that the fight was the result of an armed robbery on Sunday that had not been reported.

In that case, according to a police statement, the victim had attempted to purchase an ounce of marijuana when he was robbed by Jones of $240 in cash, near the Village Laundromat downtown. The victim told police that during the robbery, Jones lifted his shirt to reveal what looked like a knife.

The victim, angered at the robbery, sought revenge on Jones on Main Street Tuesday afternoon, police wrote.

"He wanted to take matters into his own hands, yet he was beaten up confronting the suspects," wrote Detective Jason Ball, in a statement filed in court.

The victim was injured in the fight Tuesday, Ball said, including having a bloodied face. He told police he was punched several times, and bitten.