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Artem Chigvintsev and his wife, Nikki Garcia, had reportedly been “butting heads” in the weeks leading up to his domestic violence arrest last Thursday.
After the 42-year-old Dancing With the Stars pro’s case was turned over to the Napa County District Attorney, with charges potentially looming, Nikki, 40, who surfaced without her wedding ring over the weekend, is said to be exploring her options, including divorce, as he attempts to win her back and mend their “tumultuous” marriage.
“Artem and Nikki had a huge argument. Things have become tumultuous and they have been butting heads. They are both strong-willed people,” an insider shared with Entertainment Tonight on September 4.
As fans may have heard, Artem and Nikki, who met in 2017 when Nikki joined DWTS season 25, were involved in a domestic violence incident last week. However, the details are unclear. While it was Artem who called 911 to request medical help, claiming his wife had thrown shoes at him, he was ultimately the one arrested after police reportedly witnessed injuries on Nikki.
Following the arrest, the source claims Artem is doing what he can to win Nikki back and put their family, which includes four-year-old son Matteo, back together.
“Artem has been trying to make it up to Nikki and get her back. There is a lot of love on both sides and Artem is holding out hope.”
Meanwhile, TMZ is reporting that the Napa County Sheriff has just turned over the case to the District Attorney, meaning formal charges stemming from the domestic violence incident could be coming soon.
A spokesperson for the Napa County D.A. tells the outlet that they are currently reviewing the case, adding that a decision will be made later which will then be publicly announced.
For the time being, Artem is scheduled to be arraigned on November 4.
Years ago, while appearing on Kaitlyn Bristowe‘s podcast, Off the Vine, Nikki admitted to seeking counseling with Artem due to the way he spoke to her. She also shared that she nearly quit DWTS because of his demeanor, noting that Artem struggled with self-control when stressed.
While Nikki has not yet addressed Artem’s arrest directly, she did request privacy for her family.
Artem was released from custody last Thursday after putting up $25,000 bail.