Cops: City man helped teens commit assault

TORRINGTON — A city man is facing charges after allegedly helping a group of teenagers commit assault.

Anthony Ortiz, 38, of Woodbine Street, was arrested March 26 and charged with second-degree breach of peace, third-degree assault and conspiracy to commit assault, police said.

According to a probable cause report, two city police officers were sent to a Highland Avenue address for a reported fight on the afternoon of March 26.

Two people were outside their home having a discussion when a few teenagers yelled at them, according to the report. They told the teenagers to leave — they did so intermittently, returning to yell obscenities at the two people on multiple occasions.

“A few minutes later the teenagers returned with more individuals and another male, later identified as Anthony Ortiz Sr. ... and physically assaulted Victim 1 by hitting Victim 1 with closed fists,” a Torrington police officer said in the report. “While Victim 2 was trying to protect Victim 1, Victim 2 stated they got hit in the altercation as well.”

Cellphone video of the verbal altercation showed Ortiz and three male occupants in his vehicle, police said. A witness identified the other males in the video, and police found Ortiz a short time later.

Ortiz “admitted to getting into the altercation claiming that the only reason why he went there was to speak to Victim 1 and Victim 2,” police said.

One of the other teenagers later told police they had spoken with Ortiz, then “took two cars up to ... Highland Avenue to talk to Victim 1.”

Victim 1 “sustained significant injuries to their face, bruises and cuts as well as a cut on his knee,” according to the report.

Ortiz was arrested and brought to police headquarters.

He was later released on $5,000 bond and scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Torrington on Monday.