i gotta admit, reading that my heart rate increased and it was like i was there. completely understand why your wife is so jumpy. i think even brett michaels would understand too.
she should be given a bravery award or something. to be able to push back against an intruder while being scared shitless is bloody awesome!!!!
wearing a high vis vest? um if you're hiding from someone might be an idea to take it off. or did he just come from work?
you did nothing wrong. natural instincts kick in and you dont know what you are doing. next time it maybe different. similarly its natural when blokes get together to talk shit "yeah i wouldve kicked the shit outta him", "if i was there....i would've fought him IRL". but only you knew the circumstances, and most importantly your family were unharmed.
from personal experience when my relos in LA house was broken into (we werent in the house at the time), it was frightening. we called cops when got there. the following x minutes was scary. door bell rang and we all jumped. it was the cops. took photos etc. i thought it was cool to finally speak to am american copper.
anyway, back here in oz after sometime we asked were assailants caught. yes. seemed it was a syndicate comprising of latinos, azns and blacks. husband and wife up the road werent so lucky, they were home at the time of the break in, and were subsequently shot. still get chills thinking about it.