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Good Samaritan Dies After Trying to Help Woman Being Beaten at New Jersey Bus Stop

Calvin Wiggins is accused of killing John Carlton after Carlton tried to intervene during a domestic incident between Wiggins and his girlfriend, investigators say.

Charlotte White was in tears as she spoke about her son who died from his injuries ten days after he was punched in the head while intervening in a domestic assault at a New Jersey bus stop.

"My son was ripped from my life," White said while in tears. "I don't know how to go on without him."

John Charlton, 54, died Sunday at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner said while announcing aggravated manslaughter charges against suspect Calvin Wiggins. 

Several people pulled off busy Route 40 near Cantillon Boulevard on the morning of Nov. 2 after seeing the 24-year-old Wiggins beating his girlfriend, police said.

After some good Samaritans tried to intervene into a domestic dispute at a bus stop, one of those Samaritans was attacked. The attack caused a chain reaction along Route 40 in Hamilton Township. NBC10’s Ted Greenberg reports.

Charlton and others tried to intervene, but witness George Sluker, who lives across the street at a condo complex, said Wiggins threatened the good Samaritans.

"The fella doing the beating was yelling at the people trying to stop him that he was going to shoot them," Sluker said.

Sluker and another witness said that's when the Mays Landing man turned and punched one of the men.

"This guy just cold clocked him," Sluker said.

Hamilton Township Assault Calvin Wiggins
Hamilton Township Police Department
Calvin Wiggins, 24, is accused of aggravated assault.

Charlton dropped to the ground and hit his head with such force people standing across the road could hear the impact.

"You could hear his head crack all the way over here. I was like 'Oh my God,'" witness Mary Wickliff said.

The good Samaritan never regained consciousness and died 10 days later from his injuries, prosecutor said.

White told NBC10 Sunday she isn't surprised her eldest child of five jumped in to help.

"He jumped right in without a thought to his own safety," she said. "And that is just the kind of man that he has always been."

John Charlton
Family Photo
John Charlton

Wiggins waited for police to respond and was arrested. He was initially charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and possession of marijuana before being charged with aggravated manslaughter after Charlton died.

"It was a brutal and senseless, senseless waste of two lives," White said. "My son's and the other young man. His life is ruined."

Loved ones say Charlton was a hero in life and remains one in death. Nearly all of his body was donated to help others.

"I know he is so proud," White said. "It's almost like a culmination to what he's he's done all his life. He would help anybody."

No word if Wiggins has an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

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