Man Arrested After Brutal Attack at Burlington Coat Factory Leaves Victim with Serious Injuries

Zachary Curtis Wiggs {BSO}

By Ryan Yousefi

A man faces felony battery charges after brutally attacking a man inside a Coral Springs store, sending the victim to the hospital with serious injuries. 

On June 16, the Coral Springs Police Department responded to the Burlington Coat Factory located at 6251 West Sample Road in response to the report of a battery incident that left a victim with serious injuries.

According to records, officers encountered a victim who was bleeding profusely upon arrival and stated that an unknown black male had assaulted him inside the store. 

The victim described the man, later identified as Zachary Curtis Wiggs, 32, of Deerfield Beach,  as a black male wearing a mustard yellow shirt, black shorts, and black sneakers.

According to the victim’s account to officers, and later confirmed by surveillance footage, while waiting in the checkout line with his wife and son, a heavy-set female behind him bumped into him and coughed intentionally. 

The victim told officers he politely asked the woman to excuse herself, to which she responded with profanity. A verbal altercation ensued, during which the victim felt someone repeatedly hitting the back of his head and neck.

According to the arrest report, the victim described a chaotic scene where he attempted to turn around and identify his assailant but fell to the ground under continuous blows. 

The report shows the victim told officers that once striking the ground, he was punched by Wiggs in the nose, later confirmed to be broken during the assault, before another customer intervened. 

Witnesses told officers that following his alleged assault on the victim, Wiggs quickly fled the store, prompting the victim to call 911 and give chase.

The victim told officers he pursued Wiggs eastbound and northbound until they reached the Harbor Island residential neighborhood. 

Utilizing the victim’s accounts, CSPD established a perimeter to locate Wiggs, and the Coral Springs Fire Department’s Rescue team arrived to provide medical assistance to the injured victim.

CSPD officers eventually located Wiggs hiding behind a tree on the 3800 block of Turtle Creek Drive and detained him without incident. 

Upon interview, Wiggs claimed that he struck the victim in defense of his girlfriend, alleging that the victim had threatened her.

After completing interviews of the victim, Wiggs, and witnesses, CSPD returned to the Burlington Coat Factory to review surveillance footage. The footage corroborated the victim’s account, clearly showing the altercation between the victim and a heavy-set white female in a pink dress, along with Wiggs assaulting the victim from behind.

Due to his injuries’ severity, the Coral Springs Fire Department Rescue team transported the victim to Broward Health North. Medical examinations revealed that the victim had suffered a broken nose, lacerations to his face, head, and right side, and cervical injuries.

Wiggs was arrested and transported to the Broward County Main Jail.

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Author Profile

Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiple outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.

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