Man suspected in Las Vegas taco truck brawl says he was ‘threatened’

A man arrested in a March 6 group fight at a taco truck in downtown Las Vegas claimed Wednesday that he’s been “harassed and threatened” by alleged battery victims and their associates, whom he said included people with “L.A. gang ties.”

Jason Wiggins’ claims occurred at what was slated to be his preliminary hearing in Las Vegas Justice Court, where, while waiting for it to begin, he raised his middle finger at a Review-Journal photographer taking his picture.

Seven prosecution witnesses, including two law enforcement officers and victims in the altercation, showed up for the court session but were not asked to testify as Judge Holly Stoberski, in an agreement between both sides, reset the date for Wiggins’ preliminary hearing to Oct. 24.

Wiggins, of New Mexico, faces felony attempted larceny and five counts of misdemeanor battery in the fracas in which five employees of the taco truck were assaulted on a corner of Las Vegas Boulevard North and Bonanza Road by Wiggins and two others at the eatery, police reported.

Wiggins, Michael Boyd and Wiggins’ unidentified son, were seen “hitting and grappling” with employees at the taco truck during the fight, which resulted in two reported injuries, according to police.

Police issued a citation for misdemeanor battery to Boyd, but it does not appear in Justice Court online records.

Wiggins is also is accused of reentering the fray with a thermos-like bottle and using it to bash a taco truck employee in the head and neck.

A video of the brawl, shot by a taco truck worker, drew many views after it was posted on the Instagram page for the taco truck, which is named Taqueria Casa del Sabor.

Wiggins faces a charge of attempted larceny for the snatching of an employee’s cellular phone at the scene, according to Deputy District Attorney Max Anderson.

The District Attorney’s office has dismissed a charge of resisting arrest, court records show.

Wiggins told Stoberski that since his arraignment in March, “I was harassed and threatened on court property, and it’s all on video by the alleged victim and their parties, and today the same thing occurred.”

He also claimed the victims and family members have “L.A. gang ties.”

“I have already contacted the Sheriff’s Department, the FBI. I’ve made the public defender aware of this and I’m just trying to assure my safety because I’ve been getting online threats, and it’s just going crazy over a customer service issue,” Wiggins said, adding that he was threatened in a bathroom at the courthouse.

“There is not to be any threats of any type,” the judge replied. “There should be none of that.”

Stoberski directed Wiggins to continue to report details of the matter to his appointed public defender, Maria Cleveland.

After the hearing, the witnesses left the courtroom and could not be interviewed for comment.

Anderson said that he spoke to the victims of the fight that day and that he had doubts about the veracity of what Wiggins said about them.

“I have no knowledge of any of those kinds of threats,” he said.

Contact Jeff Burbank at jburbank@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0382. Follow him @JeffBurbank2 on Twitter.