Credit: Instagram
The news came out recently that Dancing with the Stars pro Artem Chigvintsev had been arrested for domestic violence against an unspecified person. His wife, Nikki Garcia, was present at the time. Now, she has been seen out in public for the first time since the arrest, and there’s a report that the alleged victim in the situation is being fully compliant in aiding the police.
Artem and Nikki met in 2017 when she was paired with him on Dancing with the Stars. After that, they began dating and eventually got married. However, the two are said to have had a troubled marriage, and it seems Artem has been known to have a temper. In fact, one of his former colleagues spoke out years ago about the alleged abuse she received from him when they worked together on a British dance competition.
According to Page Six, Nikki and the four-year-old son she shares with Artem have been sighted.
The two were seen boarding a private jet at the San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport on August 31. Before getting to the airport, they were seen leaving their home and stopping by a local Starbucks. Eagle-eyed fans quickly noticed that she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring.
Nikki Garcia seen for first time since Artem Chigvintsev’s domestic violence arrest boarding a private jet with son https://t.co/U5JM6J3Wbv pic.twitter.com/GNdwyOBgPB
— Page Six (@PageSix) August 31, 2024
It is believed Nikki and her son were heading to Las Vegas, where she has been booked to host a food competition show for Netflix. However, neither party has confirmed this.
TMZ is also reporting that the alleged victim in the situation, who has asked for “total confidentiality,” is fully cooperating with the police department that’s investigating the instance of domestic violence.
The police department is also hoping to determine if Artem has a violent history with the victim or otherwise. Notably, he was arrested for “felony corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant.” The police had to see a physical injury for him to be arrested for a felony.
According to the report, the alleged victim has given some crucial details about what happened, and it’s also possible there were other witnesses in the case amid the ongoing investigation. The Sheriff’s office plans to speak to prosecutors to determine what charges may be filed against Artem. He was released on a $25,000 bond.
This story is developing.