Newport Man Charged for Attack on Bar Patron

Newport police charged 21-year-old Jovonne Luis Rios, of 34 West Evans St., Newport, with simple assault after he allegedly attacked a man outside of a city bar early Friday morning.

According to a police report, Rios and two other men approached the 30-year-old victim outside Pour Judgement after 1 a.m. and demanded money.

When the victim said he had no money, RIos allegedly punched him on the side of the head, causing a contusion and laceration to the victim’s face.

Police said they responded at around 1:31 a.m.

The victim, who was found by police in a parking lot off Tilden Avenue, was covered in blood from the injuries, which were not serious; the victim declined transport to Newport Hospital and was treated at the scene by responders.

Officers fanned out and soon found Rios nearby with blood on his hands and clothes and sweat beads on his forehead.

The victim reportedly identified Rios in a show-up identification.

“That’s him, that’s the guy that punched me,” the victim said.

Rios told police that the blood came after he had been hit by a dart inside the bar, though police could not find any puncture wounds on his body.

Rios “later stated that he is a skateboarder and some of the blood must have come from there,” according to the police report.

Rios was taken into custody without incident. During a search, an officer reported taking Rios’ iPhone out of his pocket. While the phone was in the officer’s hands, “the screen illuminated with a text message,” police said.

“Plainly visible on the screen without any manipulation I saw a text message similar to ‘Ked banged that nigga aha.’”

Rios was held for arraignment Friday morning in Second Division District Court in Newport.