South Beach Tourist Sexually Assaulted By Homeless Man: Police

MIAMI BEACH, FL — A 30-year-old homeless man was charged with sexually assaulting a female tourist in front of seven of her friends along one of the busiest stretches of South Beach. Friday's brazen attack occurred around 8:30 p.m. in the 800 block of Ocean Drive, a peak time for visitors to the city's many outdoor cafes. The attack happened as the women were sitting on a nearby beach area after having dinner at Kantina restaurant.

Derrick K. Wiggins, Jr. was arrested by Miami Beach police earlier this week and charged with sexual battery. He was being held on $100,000 bond. (Sign up for our free Daily Newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Miami Beach Patch.)

Arrest documents state that Wiggins allegedly followed the women to the beach after the victim took pity on him as she was dining at the outdoor restaurant.

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Police said that the woman suffered bruises to her arms, legs, knees and inner thigh.

The victim told police that she had earlier "felt sorry" for the man "as he was confronted by an unknown male who cursed at him and told him to leave." She waived her defender off and advised him to go back to his dinner.

"After finishing her meal with her friends" the victim "proceeded to walk east across Ocean Drive and sat on Lummus Park with her friends," according to arrest documents, which said that the victim again encountered Wiggins, but he was chased away by restaurant employees.

"She then walked toward the beach area with her friends, a group of eight females and sat around the shoreline area," arrest documents stated. Wiggins allegedly showed up again and this time grabbed the victim by the waist and pulled her by the arms.

The victim told police that she fell along the shallow ocean with her attacker in tow as she tried to fight him off. "Unable to free herself from the attacker," the victim told police that she could feel her swimsuit bottom being pulled and the man's hand penetrating her. Two of her friends rushed to help her and they began striking Wiggins until the victim could temporarily break away.

But Wiggins allegedly grabbed the victim again, knocking her back down into the water as he allegedly penetrated her again with his hand despite her screams. The victim's friends again stepped in and began striking the man until all the women could get away.

Miami Beach police said that Wiggins allegedly admitted using his hand to penetrate the woman during a taped interview following his arrest.

Photo of Derrick K. Wiggins, Jr. courtesy of Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department.