Man defends wife and child with broom

SOUTH WINSOR, Conn. (WTNH) - A fight broke out in the parking lot of a convenience store in South Windsor when a man saw that his wife and child were being harassed by two men in a white SUV.

When a man was walking out of the 7-Eleven on Ellington Road, he saw that his wife and child were  being verbally harassed. In an attempt to stop what was going, the man exiting the store was punched by one of the suspects in the SUV.

According to police, the man got up and tackled the suspect that punched him. The other suspect then joined in on the fight.

The man was able to get free and grab a nearby broom which he swung at the suspects and the suspects' vehicle, breaking a window.

The suspects fled the scene, then returned a few minutes late to retrieve a wallet which fell out on the ground during the fight.

When the suspects fled the scene a second time, they backed into a car that was parked in the 7-Eleven parking lot.

Officers found that one of the suspects had dropped their drivers license in the lot some time during the incident.

Both suspects were located by police a short time later at the St. Marc Circle condominium complex. Police found the victim's car keys and a black pellet gun in the suspects' vehicle.

Police arrested Aaron Galligan,28, of 7 Geraldine Drive in Ellington, and Jeffrey Lanz, 27, of 16 West Road in Ellington. They face an array of charges including breach of peace, unlawful restraint, interfering with a police officer and reckless driving.

Galligan was issued an $80,000 bond and Lanz was issued a $100,000 bond. Both suspects are due in court on Jan.31.