Artem Chigvintsev accuses Nikki Bella of throwing a shoe at him in 911 call made before arrest
NAPA, CALIFORNIA: Artem Chigvintsev, known for his role on 'Dancing With the Stars,' was arrested on Thursday, August 29, on a felony charge of corporal injury to a spouse. The arrest took place at Napa County Jail, with bail set at $25,000.
Newly released radio dispatch recordings reveal that Chigvintsev, 42, made the 911 call himself, seeking medical assistance after an alleged altercation with his wife, Nikki Bella, also known as Nikki Garcia, as reported by OK Magazine.
Artem Chigvintsev arrested for domestic violence
According to the dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, Artem Chigvintsev reported that his wife was throwing shoes at him during their argument.
The employee reported, "Initially came in as requesting medical, but now he is stating he got into an argument with his wife and his wife threw shoes at rp [reporting party]."
"There is a child on scene. Medical en route. There's an active 415 (disturbing the peace) in the background responsible."
The dispatcher noted that a child was present at the scene. Initially, medical assistance was requested but was later canceled by Chigvintsev.
Chigvintsev is reported to have canceled the paramedics' visit, with the dispatcher noting, "RP is stating no medical is needed now." The report also mentioned that Chigvintsev and Garcia had been physically separated by the time authorities arrived.
Artem Chigvinstev's argument happened 3 days after marriage anniversary
The incident occurred just three days after Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia, who share a four-year-old son named Matteo, celebrated their wedding anniversary.
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On August 26, Chigvintsev posted a heartfelt message on Instagram, expressing his deep love for Garcia. "Happy anniversary my love, can’t see my life without you. You are my everything,” he wrote.
Garcia, who married Chigvintsev in 2022, responded with an equally loving tribute. She shared lyrics from Elvis Presley’s 'Can’t Help Falling in Love' and described their relationship as a "love story" in an Instagram post.
"I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem... That’s when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be. Happy Anniversary @theartemc I love you!" Garcia wrote.
Nikki Bella makes a statement
In light of the arrest, Nikki Bella issued her first statement following the arrest of her husband, Artem Chigvintsev, for felony corporal injury to a spouse on Thursday, August 29.
On Friday, August 30, the former professional wrestler's representative stated, "This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time.”
Hours later, The New York Post released the reality star's mugshot.
New details about Artem Chigvintsev emerge from 911 call
Artem Chigvintsev was arrested for felony corporal injury to a spouse. The arrest followed a 911 call made by Chigvintsev himself, who reported an altercation with his wife, Nikki Garcia.
According to a spokesperson for the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, the responding officers observed an “apparent injury” on the alleged victim during their investigation on Thursday morning.
The victim was not confirmed to be Garcia, despite being identified in the dispatch audio, and no public statement has been released by her regarding the incident.
Public Information Officer Henry Wofford clarified that while the alleged victim did not receive medical assistance from the officers on the scene, he could not definitively state whether medical help was unnecessary.
“I can’t say the victim didn’t need any medical assistance — that’s something that the victim would have to share,” Wofford said.
Wofford mentioned, “I wouldn’t say that they said it wasn’t necessary [to receive medical help], it may be the order that they wanted to go in.”
The 911 call, obtained by TMZ, reveals that Chigvintsev initially requested medical assistance but later tried to cancel the call. The dispatcher reported that the call included details of a verbal dispute and a “disturbing the peace” violation.
“The responsible is going to be Nicole Garcia born in ’83,” she added in the audio clip. “Trying to get the two parties to separate.”
