Party turns ugly in Middletown

MIDDLETOWN - A fight between two brothers at a Super Bowl party resulted in the arrest of one sibling on charges of aggravated assault.

Middletown Township police arrested James J. Gibbons, 44, on charges of aggravated assault after he allegedly inflicted potentially life-threatening injuries to his brother during a fight on Sunday, Feb. 3.

Detectives First Class Gerald Weimer and Jeffrey Barner arrested Gibbons at his home on DeForrest Lane, Red Bank, on Tuesday, Feb. 5.

According to a press release from the Middletown Police Department, Christopher Gibbons, 39, of Spring Street, Red Bank, underwent emergency surgery Tuesday morning at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for internal injuries he sustained after allegedly being assaulted by his brother while attending a Super Bowl party at a friend's home in Middletown.

Christopher Gibbons was taken to Riverview Medical Center at approximately 2 a.m. Tuesday. After evaluation at Riverview, he was transferred to Jersey Shore, the regional trauma center.

Prior to his leaving, Riverview staff members called Middletown Police Officer Adam Vendetti when it was revealed Gibbons' injuries were due to an assault that occurred in Middletown.

Vendetti completed the initial report and Weimer and Barner continued the investigation, which revealed the Gibbons brothers were attending a Super Bowl party at the home of a mutual friend in Middletown.

According to a press release from Middletown police, after the football game ended two other men at the party were wrestling and damaged a wall in the home.

When James Gibbons saw the damage, he thought his brother was involved and asked him to come outside so he could talk to him.

Once the two men were outside, police said James Gibbons allegedly began assaulting his brother.

Christopher Gibbons did not immediately seek treatment but waited until Tuesday morning. His brother was not injured in the encounter.

James Gibbons was processed at Middletown Police headquarters and bail was set at $25,000 with no 10 percent option. He was released on bail Tuesday evening.