Hotel Room Horror: Man Charged with Strangulation and Battery in Bloody Domestic Assault

Joseph Robert Wilken. {BSO}

By Ryan Yousefi

A man was arrested for false imprisonment, domestic battery by strangulation, and battery after a domestic assault incident inside a hotel in Coral Springs.

On June 20, the Coral Springs Police Department responded to an emergency at the La Quinta South at 3100 North University Drive. Upon arrival, CSPD spoke to hotel management, who reported a possible domestic disturbance in progress in room 310.

According to hotel staff, a male voice, later identified as that of Joseph Robert Wilken, 25, of Estero, could be heard yelling and cursing at a female inside the room for an extended period. The report shows that officers could still hear the male screaming when they approached the room.

The report indicates CSPD made several attempts to announce its presence, yet it took Wilken some time to open the door. Once officers did gain access to the room, they discovered a chaotic scene with property strewn about, open alcohol containers, and blood-soaked bed sheets.

According to records, the victim was visibly distressed, with a flushed and red face and a bleeding laceration on her nose. Despite her injuries, the victim declined medical assistance from EMS.

During the subsequent investigation, the victim revealed that she and Wilken had engaged in a heated dispute within their hotel room. At one point, he had forcibly unlocked the bathroom door while she hid inside for safety.

The victim told officers as she exited the bathroom, Wilken allegedly pushed her to the ground from behind, grabbed and threw her onto the bed, and covered her mouth, impeding her breathing.

According to the victim, this pattern repeated multiple times, with Wilken preventing her from fleeing and using physical force to keep her from seeking help.

The victim told CSPD that at one point, she told Wiken she feared he would kill her and that she made repeated attempts to reach the door but that he continually dragged her back into the room as she attempted to flee.

During one of the victim’s attempts to flee, she told officers that Wilken struck her in the face, causing her bloody injuries. The victim alleged that Wilken dragged her back into the room by her hair as she bled from her face.

According to the police report, the victim acknowledged consuming alcohol, stating she had only consumed a few shots while Wilken had nearly finished an entire bottle of bourbon.

With the scene under control and the victim safe, CSPD turned its attention to interviewing Wilken, who immediately denied striking the victim, claiming that she had been highly intoxicated and had fallen after leaving the bathroom, resulting in her nose injury.

Wilken also denied engaging in an argument, stating that he had merely been expressing himself loudly during their conversation.

While CSPD was on the scene, additional witnesses came forward, including a front desk employee who reported receiving a call from a guest in room 309 who claimed to have overheard a heated argument and what sounded like a male physically assaulting a female in room 310.

The front desk employee went to investigate and, while outside room 310, heard the male yelling and the female quivering. Fearing for her safety, the employee promptly alerted the police.

The arrest report shows that while being placed under arrest, Wilken told officers to review security footage of the victim assaulting him in the hallway outside their room. Records show CSPD did, but to the contrary, footage revealed Wilken striking the victim, causing her to fall to the ground.

Wilken was taken into custody 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.