2 Men Accused Of Violent Hate Crimes In Southington: Police

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Two men are facing hate crime charges after police said they assaulted a man of Indian descent and a Caucasian woman who was with him in Southington earlier this month.

According to the Southington Police Department, the men were charged after an April 5 incident.

The suspects, according to the SPD on Friday, are:

• Ryan Eustace, 28, of Wolcott, who was charged with first-degree intimidation based on bigotry or bias; ridicule on account of creed, religion, color, denomination, nationality, or race; second-degree assault; third-degree assault; first-degree strangulation; and second-degree breach of peace.

Eustace was held on a $250,000 bond before his arraignment in New Britain Superior Court April 7.

According to online court records, his bond was reduced to $150,000, and he is slated to appear in New Britain Superior Court on June 5.

• Ryley Haddock, 28, of Newington, was charged with first-degree intimidation based on bigotry or bias; ridicule on account of creed, religion, color, denomination, nationality, or race; second-degree assault; and second-degree breach of peace.

Haddock, police said, was released from custody after posting $150,000 bond, and he was arraigned in New Britain Superior Court on April 17.

According to online court records, Haddock will next appear in New Britain Superior Court on June 16.

Local police on Friday released the details about what they say happened that night.

According to the SPD, officers on April 7 were called to Center Street just before midnight for a report of an assault involving a male victim of Indian descent and a Caucasian female victim.

Police said the couple was walking along the sidewalk on Center Street when they were confronted by two males "who began verbally accosting the male victims with derogatory and racial slurs."

Then, police said, Eustace struck the male in the face with a closed fist.

This, according to the SPD, prompted a physical altercation where Haddock "interjected himself and also proceeded to assault the male victim."

Meanwhile, police said, the female and several bystanders attempted to intervene.

According to the SPD, Eustace struck the female victim "several times."

"Additionally, at another point during the fight, Eustace had maneuvered the male victim in a headlock, restricting the male victim's ability to breathe," wrote Southington police Friday.

Police said the male sustained a bloody nose, a broken tooth, and other minor abrasions to his hand and knees.

The SPD said the female has minor injuries to her face and legs, and neither victim was transported to the hospital.