Man on pre-trial release arrested for threatening to shoot woman and kicking police officer

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joseph Harold Wiggs, 22, was arrested last night for threatening to shoot a woman he was dating and kicking a police officer, along with another felony and three more misdemeanors.

At about 10:30 p.m. on April 8, the victim, who said she had been in an on-and-off dating relationship with Wiggs, picked him up at his home; before coming out to her car, Wiggs allegedly texted her and said he might “choke her out.” He allegedly got into the back seat of her car, took out a handgun, put his finger on the trigger, and pointed it at the victim as she drove.

Wiggs allegedly threw objects at the victim, hitting her all over her body, and threatened to hit her. The victim later told a responding Gainesville Police Department officer that at one point, she was able to pull the car over and get out, but Wiggs pointed the gun at her and told her to get back in. She said she got back into the car out of fear for her safety.

The victim reportedly called a friend at one point and told her Wiggs had his finger on the trigger of a gun and that she felt unsafe.

At about 12:15 a.m., the victim drove to the friend’s apartment at The Pavilion on 62nd and convinced Wiggs that she just needed to go into an apartment and would be back very shortly; she ran to her friend, who called 911. The friend told the call-taker that Wiggs was in the back seat of a silver car, wearing a purple jacket.

Gainesville Police Department officers reportedly found Wiggs lying in the back seat of a silver car, wearing a purple jacket, but he was reportedly slow to get out of the vehicle. When officers attempted to physically remove him, they reportedly noticed the bulge of a firearm in his jacket pocket and struggled with him for a short time until the firearm was secured and Wiggs was handcuffed.

Wiggs allegedly resisted being placed in a patrol vehicle, and an officer grabbed his legs to help carry him; Wiggs allegedly kicked the officer in the head. Wiggs was placed in leg restraints.

After officers found the gun, Wiggs reportedly said the gun had been planted on him while he was sleeping in the car. Post Miranda, Wiggs reportedly declined to answer any questions.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced about 0.6 grams of marijuana.

Wiggs has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, battery on a law enforcement officer, battery, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, and resisting an officer without violence. He has a juvenile conviction from 2020 and one adult misdemeanor conviction. He was arrested in June 2024 for threatening to shoot a family member and placing a gun within reach of a child, but the charges were later dropped. A sworn complaint was filed against him in February for choking a different woman, but those charges were also later dropped. He was arrested in March for domestic battery on yet another woman and was released on $2,500 bail.

Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held without bail on the aggravated assault charge, pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; she set bail at $147,000 on the other charges.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.