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Artem Chigvintsev is responding to Nikki Garcia’s restraining order.
After Garcia was granted a restraining order, Chigvintsev is requesting his own restraining order against her.
Chigvintsev’s request has also been granted by a judge.
In both of their court filings, the two accused the other of being the aggressor, offering different versions of what happened on the day of his arrest.
In the filing, obtained by TMZ, Garcia claimed that Chigvintsev “tackled me multiple times and pinned me to the ground while our child was present.”
According to Nikki’s docs, the two got into an argument over how their son Matteo’s English muffin should be toasted.
Nikki admitted to throwing a shoe at Artem, who then took their son upstairs to a bedroom.
Garcia claimed that when she tried to push her way through the door, Artem “tackled” her and “grabbed my arms and held me on the ground for what felt like 20 to 30 seconds.”
Nikki alleged Artem then closed the door again, and when she didn’t stop efforts to get into the room, he “had his hands on my chest near my sternum and was pressing down,” making her feel like “she was suffocating.” She stated that “grabbed at his neck” to try to fight him off.
In Artem’s filing obtained by People magazine, he claimed that “Matteo started crying” when Nikki tried to force her way into the bedroom.
According to Artem, he didn’t want Matteo “seeing his mother angry and confrontational in his bedroom,” claiming, “I tried to get her off me and away from the door frame so that Matteo would not witness any further conflict. I cannot stress enough how many times I pleaded with her to stop and calm down. There was a mutual struggle, and both ended up on the ground. At that moment, I knew that nothing I would say would get to her [and] make her calm down. I was hurt and scared of her continuing on. I needed help for her to stop.”
Chigvintsev then called 911, claiming that Garcia was verbally abusive to him while he was on the call with dispatch.
Artem also included photos of his alleged injuries to his elbow, finger, and neck.
Chigvintsev insisted that Garcia’s claims were “absolutely false.”
Along with their restraining order filings, both have released statements through their reps.
Garcia’s rep said, “Due to the incident that led to Artem’s arrest on August 29, 2024, Nikki has decided to file for a temporary Domestic Violence Restraining Order to protect herself and her son. Although Nikki requested that the Napa District Attorney not file charges against Artem as she did not want him to go to jail, he must still be held accountable for his actions, and Nikki and her son must be protected.”
“Nikki’s number one priority has always been the wellbeing of her son,” Garcia’s rep added. “She is thankful for all of the love and support she has received and continues to ask for privacy for her and her family during this difficult time.”
Chigvintsev’s lawyer Ilona Antonyan issued a statement, saying, “It is crucial to consider the motivations of both parties in this situation. Mr. Chigvintsev contacted law enforcement on [Aug. 29.] seeking protection from his wife’s persistent aggression. While he was on the phone with the police, Ms. Garcia-Colace made a pointed statement, saying, ‘Do you understand where this is going now, Artem? You just ruined my career, and you know it.’ That day, someone was going to be arrested, and it wouldn’t have been Mr. Chigvintsev if Ms. Garcia Colace had told the truth.”
Antonyan continued, “He denies ever tackling her. He was shocked to learn two weeks after the incident that she made this allegation against him; at that point it made sense to him why he was arrested. As a result of wife’s self-serving statement, Mr. Chigvintsev’s career suffered, with numerous opportunities being canceled due to these false allegations. He was not the primary aggressor.”
Due to the restraining order, Chigvintsev must stay at least 100 yards from Garcia and Matteo. He’ll only be able to come any closer when he has visitation or exchange of Matteo.
Per Artem’s filing, he and Nikki will have equal physical custody of Matteo. He’ll begin caring for Matteo from October 4-12 while Nikki is on a work trip in London. She’ll have custody of him from October 13-16 and then they’ll alternate every three days.