No criminal charges for Artem Chigvintsev after domestic violence arrest, DA says
Artem Chigvintsev will not be criminally charged following his arrest for felony domestic violence on Aug. 29, the Napa County District Attorney’s Office announced in a press release Tuesday.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, the decision not to charge the Dancing with the Stars pro “was made after a thorough review of the criminal investigation and careful evaluation of the evidence presented to the DA’s Office.”
“While we take every arrest seriously and stand firmly against domestic violence, we have an ethical obligation to only file charges when supported by the evidence,” Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley said in a statement included in the release.
It continued, “We are required to prove any and every criminal charge ‘beyond a reasonable doubt,'” adding, “If the available evidence doesn’t rise to this level of proof, then we cannot ethically file charges.”
The District Attorney’s Office said it “does not typically issue press releases when it declines to file charges against any given individual,” but “did so for this case due to the intense media interest it has received since Mr. Chigvintsev’s arrest.”
A representative for Artem told Good Morning America in a statement Tuesday, “Mr. Chigvintsev has maintained his innocence from the beginning. He is grateful that the district attorney accurately assessed what took place, and determined he should not be charged. He enjoys tremendous support from the community, and requests privacy for the pending divorce matter. He loves his son, wants the best possible for him, and looks forward to the next chapter in his life professionally and as a father.”
Artem was arrested for felony domestic violence on Aug. 29, just before 10 a.m., according to Napa County, California, jail records.
His wife, WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Garcia, filed for divorce shortly afterward.
The couple married in August 2022 and share one child, 4-year-old son Matteo.
ABC News reached out to Garcia’s representative for comment but did not immediately hear back.
If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
