COLDWATER – Charges against a Branch County man accused of assaulting his girlfriend and her mother have been upgraded to felonies due to the severity of the alleged attack, police say.
Randy Regan Jr., 23, remains jailed on a $100,000 bond following the incident on April 10.
Police say Regan showed up to the home he was living at with his girlfriend and her mother around 1:00 a.m. after being at the bar, and attacked his girlfriend while she was in bed.
A follow-up investigation revealed Regan allegedly has his hands around his girlfriend’s neck at one point, to where she felt as though she was going to pass out. During the attack, his girlfriend cried for help, to which her mother responded.
The mother was ultimately knocked to the ground and kicked in the head by Regan, police say. The mother was initially hospitalized with a closed head injury and bleeding on the brain.
Police say the mother has since been released from the hospital following treatment, but did suffer a broken jaw and a brain hemorrhage in the attack. Investigators say the mother continues to be monitored, but may never fully recover from her injuries.
Regan was initially jailed on charges of aggravated assault less than murder and domestic violence. As of Friday, those charges have been upgraded to assault with intent to do great bodily harm and strangulation, both 10-year felonies.
Regan asked the judge about an insanity plea during his initial arraignment, saying he was Bi-Polar. The judge at that time entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Police say Regan suffered injuries afterslamming his head into the plexiglass divider in a police cruiser following his arrest the morning of April 10.
Police also say Regan refused to shower and wipe off the blood from the injury he suffered after being treated at a local health center. He ended up washing his face just prior to his initial arraignment, police say.
A preliminary hearing for Regan is still pending.
