Nikki Bella breaks silence after husband Artem Chigvintsev’s arrest for domestic violence
Nikki Bella is pleading for forgiveness after her husband Artem Chigvintsev was arrested on domestic violence charges on Thursday morning.
“This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for herself and her family at this time,” a rep for the 40-year-old former WWE star told TMZ on Friday.
Additionally, a source told the outlet that the 42-year-old “Dancing With the Stars” pro called 911 after the alleged incident and called back a few minutes later to tell emergency services not to come.
Though Bella, better known as Nikki Garcia, has not spoken publicly about what happened at the couple’s Napa Valley home, the athlete was active on social media the day before, posting stories from her facial appointment on Instagram.
Garcia and Chigvintsev, who have a 4-year-old son Mateo, married in August 2022 and celebrated their second wedding anniversary on Monday.
The reality star posted the lyrics to the Elvis Presley song “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and took some time to explain the meaning behind the tune.
“This song is our love story,” Garcia wrote in the caption of her Instagram video. “I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. Talking to him and God. How quickly my emotions felt. It all felt so quick. And then this song came.”
She further added, “That’s when I realised that I was falling in love with him and this was all meant to happen.”
Chigvintsev also praised his wife and described Garcia as his “everything.”
The “West End” artist wrote, “Happy anniversary my love, I can’t see my life without you [sic] You.”
Chigvintsev was taken into custody by the Napa County Sheriff’s Department on a domestic violence charge just before 10 a.m. His bail was set at $25,000, and he was released that afternoon, hours after his photo was circulated online. The booking report listed Chigvintsev as weighing 175 pounds and standing 5 feet 9 inches tall.
A representative for the Napa County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ that police responded to a domestic violence call in the town of Yountville and made arrests on the scene. Some people were reportedly injured.
However, at this time, according to sheriff’s deputies, the victim has asked for complete confidentiality as the investigation is still ongoing. It’s still unclear if Garcia himself was involved in the alleged altercation.
Following Chigvintsev’s arrest, a source told Page Six about the Mirrorball champion’s future in the ballroom: “There were no plans for Artem Chigvintsev to be a part of Season 33 of ‘Dancing With the Stars,’” which premieres Sept. 17 on ABC.
Paramedics and the fire department also reportedly rushed to Chigvintsev’s home before the dancer’s arrest.
Insiders told TMZ that an unidentified person called at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday to say there was a “medical emergency” at the home.
However, someone called 911 again and reportedly canceled the request. The operator was not given a reason, but sources said paramedics and firefighters returned to their stations.
An hour later, the “Strictly Come Dancing” alumnus was arrested.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
