“Dancing With the Stars” veteran Artem Chigvintsev will not face domestic violence charges a month after his arrest — and he’s feeling “incredibly relieved and grateful.”
Napa County Dist. Atty. Allison Haley announced in a Tuesday statement that her office declined to file criminal charges against the ballroom pro and reality TV star, citing “a thorough review of the criminal investigation and careful evaluation of the evidence presented.” The district attorney’s office says it cannot “ethically” file domestic violence charges with insufficient evidence.
Chigvintsev, who began his “DWTS” tenure in 2014, was arrested Aug. 29 in Yountville, Calif., reportedly after placing a 911 call. The Napa County arrest database cited the California penal code aimed at anyone who “willfully inflicts corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition” on a spouse, former spouse, live-in partner, fiancé or fiancée, former dating partner or co-parent.
It’s unclear whether his wife Nikki Garcia, the ex-WWE wrestler formerly known as Nikki Bella, was involved. The district attorney’s office did not disclose additional information about the domestic violence case, including the identity of the alleged victim.
However, weeks after the “So You Think You Can Dance” alum’s arrest, Garcia filed a petition to divorce the dancer, whom she partnered with on “DWTS” Season 25 in 2019. They married in 2022 and welcomed a baby boy in July 2020. A representative for Garcia did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Thursday.
Chigvintsev, 42, was released from custody the day of his arrest on $25,000 bail. The Soviet Union-born performer celebrated the district attorney’s decision Wednesday evening in a series of Instagram stories. “This has been an extremely difficult time for me,” he wrote. “I am thankful that the truth has prevailed.”
Amid his domestic violence case, Chigvintsev said his focus “has always been and will always be” his son with Garcia. The dancer said he also wants equal custody with Garcia, 40, and vowed to provide the toddler “with the love, support, and care he needs as we move forward.”
He concluded his statement: “I look forward to moving past this chapter and focusing on what truly matters — continue being the best father I can be.”
Chigvintsev seems to be in the clear, though the district attorney’s office said Tuesday that it could revisit the domestic violence case, within the statute of limitations, “if it learns of other incidents, or otherwise learns of facts or evidence not previously known.”
