Artem Chigvintsev claimed wife 'threw shoes at him' before arrest (2024)

Artem Chigvintsev claimed that his wife, Nikki Garcia, 'threw shoes at him,' when he placed a 911 call on Thursday amid the alleged domestic battery incident.

The Dancing With The Stars pro, 42, was arrested on Thursday in Napa, California on suspicion of felony domestic violence - and was released from jail later that afternoon after his bail had been set for $25,000.

The Russian-born dancer was taken into custody after police saw 'traumatic' physical damage to a victim. Garcia was also in Napa at the time of the alleged altercation, but details of the alleged victim are not yet known.

According to a radio dispatch obtained by TMZ on Friday, Artem made a call to 911 to ask for medical assistance, but also claimed that Nikki threw shoes at him during the alleged incident.

'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],' the dispatcher said in the call, per the outlet.

The dispatcher also said, 'There is a child on scene. Medical en route.There's an active 415 [disturbing the peace] in the background responsible.'

Artem and Nikki tied the knot in August 2022, and welcomed their son Matteo, four, in 2020.

The professional dancer reportedly called 911 after an alleged domestic battery incident on Thursday - but took it back only minutes later,TMZ also reported on Friday.

Afterwards, the dispatcher also said over the radio, 'RP is stating no medical is needed now.'

Sources told the outlet that the alleged victim did not place the call to 911, but Chigvintsev did around 8:30a.m. due to alleged injuries on the victim.

However, law enforcement was on the road when the professional dancer called 911 once again, but only to take back what he had said earlier.

It is protocol for police to continue their response, but the fire department and paramedics were called off after being dispatched.

Upon law enforcement's arrival to the scene at 9:30a.m. - an hour after the first call had been made - Artem was taken into custody.

Nikki Garcia's representative also told TMZ on Friday as the former WWE wrestler broke her silence over the alleged incident: 'This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time.'

Officials with the Napa County Sheriff's Office confirmed the arrestwith DailyMail.com, noting that deputies clearly witnessed physical evidence of domestic violence.

'When it comes to felony domestic violence, it's not based on hearsay,' Napa County Sheriff's Office spokesman Henry Wofford told Dailymail.com Thursday. 'The deputies saw something that is apparent.'

Wofford explained, 'I'm not telling you this is what happened in this particular case, but sometimes there would be evidence of blood, sometimes scratches, sometimes it's bruises.'

'It's something visible where the deputies said, "OK, we're making this arrest."'

Deputies spoke to Chigvintsev and arrested him for felony domestic violence, Wofford told Dailymail.com Thursday, adding that the dance pro 'was cooperative' and 'did not fight with our deputies or anything of that nature.'

An alarm was triggered at the home by a 911 call made from the premises at around 8:30 a.m., insiders close to the probe told TMZ on Thursday, after an unidentified caller reported a 'medical emergency' from the property.

Sources told the outlet that 'paramedics and the fire department were en route, someone from the house called 911 again to cancel the request,' and both agencies went back to their stations.

According to the Napa County arrest database, the specific state penal code applies to suspects who 'willfully [inflict] corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition' toward a 'spouse or former spouse.'

'Cohabitant or former cohabitant;' 'fiancé or fiancé;' 'someone with whom the offender has, or previously had, an engagement or dating relationship;' or 'the mother or father of the offender's child.'

Wofford told Dailymail.com Thursday that Chigvintsev was booked at Napa County Department of Corrections at 10:40 a.m., with his bail set at $25,000.

Chigvintsev posted bail at about 2:15 p.m. and was no longer in custody as of Thursday evening, Wofford stated.

Wofford told Dailymail.com that there was only one other person connected to this incident, but declined to identity of the victim or any details, per their request.

Wofford said that as of Thursday evening, he was not aware of any protective orders being filed by the victim or on their behalf by authorities.

'We're going to take our time like we do in every domestic violence case,' Wofford said. 'No one gets a preferential treatment, and no one is getting overlooked.'

'When it comes to domestic violence victims, it is common for male and female victims to not be fully prepared to tell the entire story shortly after the incident, so we're not going to rush this...and we have the patience as well.'

Wofford told Dailymail.com that the department was focused on providing 'a support system for the victim.'

Wofford said that a probe was ongoing as to whether Chigvintsev had violated any laws with his conduct prior to his arrest Thursday.

Amid Artem's arrest, a source told Page Six on Thursday that he will not be returning as a pro dancer on the upcoming season 33 of Dancing With The Stars.

'There were no plans for Artem to be a part of Season 3,' the insider revealed to the outlet.

His arrest took place only three days after he and wife, Nikki Garcia, celebrated their second wedding anniversary.

The two first met in 2017 when they were paired together on the 25th season of Dancing With The Stars - but were eliminated during the sixth week.

In July 2020, Nikki and Artem welcomed their son Matteo, four. And two years later, the couple said 'I do' in August 2022 during a romantic ceremony in Paris following multiple wedding postponements.