Edited for brevity.
The Rapid City [SD] Police Department credits two Ellsworth Air Force Base airmen with stopping a man from beating a woman, possibly saving her life. Both airmen received the police department's Civilian Service Medal for breaking up a domestic dispute Oct. 9. Jason Brandos and Scot Richardson, both airman 1st class, and their wives, Lynne Brandos and Jericho Richardson, decided about 9 p.m. that evening to treat themselves to some ice cream. While driving down St. Patrick Street in separate vehicles, the two couples spotted a man beating a woman. After stopping his vehicle, Richardson grabbed a baseball bat and headed to the scene. "My 5-foot 10-inch, 150-pound frame isn't what you'd call intimidating," Richardson, a member of the base's security force, said. But he said he thought his 3-pound aluminum bat might even things out. Richardson said when he looked back, he saw Brandos coming to the woman's aid, too. "It was just a reaction. I noticed something was wrong and went to help," Brandos, 25, of Milwaukee, Wis., said. While the men headed to help the woman, their wives called 911. Richardson said the assailant had his hands around the woman's neck and was slamming her head against the side of the house and hitting her in the face. "I heard him tell her that 'those two ... boys aren't going to help you. You'll be dead before you can get in the house,'" Richardson said.
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