Public court documents reveal that Nikki Garcia (aka Nikki Bella) filed for divorce from husband Artem Chigvintsev on Wednesday (September 11).
The former pro wrestler has also requested legal and physical custody of their 2-year-old son, Matteo. The filing comes two weeks after the Dancing With the Stars alum was arrested on a felony corporal injury charge.
Garcia cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for divorce in the documents, according to documents obtained by TMZ. She cited Thursday, August 29 as the date of separation, the same day Chigvintsev was arrested in Napa, California.
He was arrested on a felony corporal injury change under California penal code 273.5(a), which makes it illegal to injure a spouse, cohabitant, or fellow parent in an act of domestic violence. Garcia was presumably the victim in the case.
RelatedArtem Chigvintsev Was Not Returning to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Prior to Arrest: Report
TMZ reports that Garcia ticked the box to block the court’s ability to grant spousal support to both her and Chigvintsev. Per the documents, she’s open to letting the dance pro have visitation rights with their son.
A rep for Garcia confirmed the divorce filing in a statement on Wednesday, telling CNN that Garcia “has filed for divorce. She continues to ask for privacy for her and her family at this time.”
According to previous reports, the domestic violence incident occurred on the morning of August 29. Chigvintsev himself reportedly called 911 himself, but another call was subsequently made canceling the request. Paramedics reportedly never arrived but police did.
Nikki Garcia attends LIVE Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef at the Hyper X Arena at the Luxor on September 02, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (David Becker / Getty Images for Netflix)
Chigvintsev was arrested around 10 a.m. PT and his bail was set at $25,000, per Napa County public records.
Garcia still appeared in person as host for the live Netflix event Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef on September 2, a few days after her husband was arrested. As shown in the photo above, she was not wearing her rings during the event.
If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233.
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