After Breaking Up with Girl Friend, Man is Arrested

MIDDLETOWN, RI—James H. Stearns, 45, of Middletown, was charged with Domestic Assault and battery on Feb. 10 at 10:50 p.m. at his residence, police said.

Police responded for a report about a woman kicking doors in the house. He answered the door and told police he was "in the process of breaking up with his girl friend of three years."

The couple argued, and each accused the other of cheating, he told officers. He left house for about 45 minutes and drove around. When he returned, he planned to sleep in a separate bedroom, but she started knocking the door down, he claimed. That's when he called police.

Police spoke to the woman who said he hit her.

Stearns denied striking the woman. But police saw signs of injury and no sign of damage to the door and decided to charge him.