Ronnie Ortiz-Magro confirms he’s stepping away from Jersey Shore: Family Vacation to seek treatment as prosecutors announce he will not be charged in his latest domestic violence case.
Fans began to notice that Ronnie was not included in the newly-released Jersey Shore: Family Vacation trailer despite filming for the season, so the reality star took to Instagram on Thursday to explain why.
“After talking to the team at MTV, we have mutually agreed that I will step away from the show while I seek medical treatment for mental health issues that I’ve ignored for too long,” he shared in an Instagram Story on May 13. “My number one goal now is facing my struggles head on. This process will be difficult, but my [number one] priority is to get healthy and be the best man and the best father I can for my daughter.”
Prior to his announcement, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office told TMZ that the Jersey Shore star will not be charged for the domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, Saffire Matos, as they claim they did not have sufficient evidence to convict him. However, they will violate his probation in a hearing set for next month.
As fans likely know, he is currently serving three years of probation following a separate domestic violence incident with his ex-girlfriend, Jen Harley, who also happens to be the mother of Ronnie’s three-year-old daughter, Ariana Sky.
Earlier this week, Ronnie hinted at possible mental health issues by posting several telling quotes via Instagram Stories.
“At the root of this dilemma is the way we view mental health in this country,” he shared on May 10. “Whether an illness affects your heart, your leg or your brain, it’s still an illness, and there should be no distinction.”
He also included another quote about a “soulmate” before sharing a picture of himself with his angel Saffire, who had a halo placed over her head.
“A soulmate is someone who challenges you to be better, someone who can’t stand seeing you sad, someone who stays faithful, loyal and committed to you, someone who takes care of you when you’re sick, someone who stands by your side through the good days and the bad days, and someone who wants to grow old and grey with you,” the post read.
In the third quote he shared, he suggested that in order for a mentally ill person to get better, they must have friends and family who will “never give up” on them.
“Never give up on someone with a mental illness,” the quote said. “When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we,’ Illness becomes Wellness.”
Fortunately for Ronnie, Saffire seems to be sticking by her man, which she revealed just days after his arrest.
“Ronnie and I are fine,” Saffire claimed via Instagram on April 25. “There is a lot of misleading information floating around out there. With anybody who reached out with concern I appreciate it with all my heart, but everything that’s being portrayed out there are not facts.”
“I don’t think it’s fair that people are using false accusations to gain attention,” she continued in the post. “Please leave Ron and I alone. You don’t know what someone is going through at the end of the day. Don’t believe everything you hear or read online.”
According to reports, Saffire was the one who called authorities after the alleged violent encounter with the reality star. Once law enforcement arrived, they reportedly noticed “visible marks” on the eyelash technician, which is why they placed Ronnie under arrest and initially charged him with felony domestic violence.
It’s unclear what type of punishment he will receive for violating probation, but Ronnie’s attorney, Scott Leemon, said he and his client are pleased that the charges from the April incident have been dropped.