Jeff Chirico an investigative reporter for CBS Atlanta took one for the team on Saturday after being sucker punched in the face knocking him to the ground while trying to get an on the air live interview from business owner Donald Wilder about his son Richard.
The incident got out of control after Chirico tried to enter Donald's business EZ Auto Sales, just weeks after Richard had been arrested by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office in September. Chirico was trying to ask more questions about the questionable business transactions concerning the used car dealership to determine if the same kinds of deceptive business practices were continuing once the father and son relocated to a different location.
"Don't you dare attempt to go into my business," Donald said to Chirico after he punched him to the ground. "Don't you dare,' he scolds. Now you better get your sh** and getta gone before that man gets here."
The camera kept rolling as Chirico got back on his feet saying to Donald he would be calling the police to have him arrested for assault. Donald then accuses the news crew for barging into his office uninvited.
According to an online story that was published on Jan. 30, it was a recent allegation by a victim who said they purchased a car from Richard when he cancelled an extended warranty on his Chevrolet Aveo because repairs were becoming too expensive. That's when Chirico went into action as an investigative reporter for CBS Atlanta.
This isn't the first time Richard at EZ Auto Sales has been in trouble with the law. It was in 2011, when Donald's son Richard pleaded guilty to two felony charges that included computer theft, odometer fraud, forgery and other violations. Local authorities said Richard may have defrauded as many as 32 people back then. The court finally charged him with seven counts of theft by deception and one count of racketeering.
When Richard relocated his business where people wouldn't know him, he violated an order from Georgia's secretary of state.
Police documents also allege that Richard was depositing victims' tax refund checks into his account then writing checks to them for lesser amounts than the government had provided. One couple said he kept their tax refunds totaling $8,000.
Video - Watch when CBS news reporter gets sucker punched in the face by a business owner.
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