ClownFighter

Sword fight gets out of hand in Naugatuck

BY PAUL SINGLEY | REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

NAUGATUCK — Two medieval-weapons aficionados were arrested early Sunday after they got into a sword fight in an apartment they share on North Spring Street, police said.

Jesse Ridge, 27, and Jason Fricke, 33, both of 501 North Spring St., Apt. D, began a debate around 1 a.m. about the various styles of sword fighting after they had been drinking, police said.

The debate escalated, and the men decided to show off their techniques in an actual fight, according to a police report. Fricke told Ridge he wanted to fight with plastic swords, but Ridge insisted on using medieval metallic swords.

Police said the men wielded their long swords and began swinging them at one another in the apartment.

The fight quickly got out of hand, and Fricke left the apartment with his wife. Ridge became enraged and began stabbing several holes in the apartment walls.

Ridge, who was staying with Fricke and his wife in the apartment, told police Fricke grabbed him around the throat and choked him during the fight, police said.

Ridge had a cut on the bridge of his nose and his forehead. Fricke did not report any injuries.

Both were charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct, police said. Ridge was also charged with third-degree criminal mischief, and Fricke was charged with third-degree strangulation.

The men were released on respective $5,000 bonds after their arraignments Monday at Waterbury Superior Court. They entered no pleas Monday, and their cases were continued to Feb. 4.