Pensacola man charged with attempted murder after allegedly strangling cab driver at hotel

Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal
·2 min read
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Escambia County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a Pensacola man Monday afternoon at Hotel Del Sol after he allegedly tried to kill a cab driver, attacked multiple hotel employees and attacked a law enforcement officer.

Ricky Allen Wiggins II, 42, was charged with one count of attempted murder, two counts of felony battery, two counts of misdemeanor battery, one count of felony battery on a law enforcement officer and one count of resisting an officer with violence.

Wiggins allegedly had a verbal argument with a Hotel Del Sol manager, and when an employee asked him to quiet down he "began kicking the door to the business" before exiting the building.

"When (the female employee) exited the office Wiggins followed and grabbed her by the neck," the arrest report states.

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The report notes the employee was able to resist Wiggins, and went to get into a cab. However, Wiggins then allegedly attacked the cab driver from behind when she told Wiggins a different cab would come pick him up.

"The victim described Wiggins as being behind her seat, placing his hands around her neck/throat, and then he began choking her," the report stated. "(She) attempted to resist the suspect, but he reached through further and began choking her with his forearm, in a chokehold."

She was able to break free, running to Lupita's Mexican Kitchen near the hotel, with Wiggins chasing her.

While Wiggins and the cab driver were at Lupita's, a responding deputy arrived on scene and "gave verbal commands to Wiggins who refused to comply." The deputies said "Wiggins (was) trying to kill (the cab driver) by choking her" when they arrived on scene.

Multiple deputies were injured while they were attempting to apprehend Wiggins.

Wiggins was booked into Escambia County Jail without bond, according to jail records.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola man charged with attempted murder for choking cab driver