Midland, TX — A 38-year-old man was arrested early Monday morning after allegedly breaking into his pregnant ex-girlfriend’s home and physically assaulting her during a late-night confrontation over her phone.
According to an arrest affidavit from the Midland Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance call on Beal Parkway around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, July 20. The caller, a pregnant woman with young children, reported that her ex-boyfriend, John Michael Rivera, showed up uninvited, banged on her front door, and demanded access to her phone.
The woman, worried about waking her children, slightly opened the door — only to be confronted by Rivera, who accused her of planning to invite someone over. She began recording the encounter on her phone, capturing video of Rivera becoming increasingly agitated. When she informed him he was trespassing, Rivera allegedly responded, “I don’t care,” before forcing his way into the residence.
The affidavit states that Rivera demanded the woman’s phone and threatened her, saying she would “never walk again” if she didn’t hand it over. As the woman tried to retreat to her bedroom to protect the device, Rivera reportedly climbed on top of her and dropped his full body weight — approximately 300 pounds — onto her torso while she laid on the bed, concealing the phone under her to prevent him from taking it.
Despite the pain and fear, the woman managed to place a call to 911 and screamed for help before Rivera fled the scene.
Police later located Rivera at his place of employment and took him into custody around 12:17 a.m. on Monday, July 21. He is now facing two felony charges: assault of a pregnant person and continuous violence against the family.
Investigators confirmed that Rivera was aware of the victim’s pregnancy at the time of the incident and that he had previously been involved in a family violence case with the same woman in February 2025. Although the woman chose not to press charges at the scene, she submitted video evidence through the department’s digital system and requested a protective order.
Rivera was booked into the Midland County Detention Center. His bond was set at $25,000 per charge, totalling $50,000.
The investigation remains ongoing.
