Artem Chigvintsev cops ‘saw suspected injuries on victim’ before ‘domestic violence’ arrest of ex-Strictly & DWTS star
POLICE allegedly noticed a pattern of injuries on an unidentified victim as they arrested former Strictly star Artem Chigvintsev for domestic violence, cops have said.
alum Chigvintsev, husband of former WWE star Nikki Bella, was taken in by cops in California after an emergency call was made to paramedics.
Officer Henry Wofford from the Napa County Sheriff told that a felony domestic violence arrest is made when suspected injuries are visible to cops at the scene.
He later told the : "When it comes to felony domestic violence, it's not based on hearsay. The deputies saw something that is apparent.
"I'm not telling you this is what happened in this particular case, but sometimes there would be evidence of blood, sometimes scratches, sometimes it's bruises.
"It's something visible where the deputies said, 'OK, we're making this arrest."
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Russian native Chigvintsev, 42, was held over domestic battery charges on Thursday after a 9-1-1 call was made for a "medical emergency".
An insider told that paramedics never made it to the house as they were called off en route.
The victim has not yet been named and few details about the arrest have been shared.
Chigvintsev was taken to Napa County Department with his bail set at £19,000.
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The domestic violence call was made from Yountville just after 10am local time on Thursday with the specific location not disclosed.
Award-winning dancer Chigvintsev won Strictly in 2010 with his celeb partner Kara Tointon.
He also appeared on the show with actress Holly Valance and TV presenter Fern Britton in 2012.
It comes as the TV star has been accused of threatening "to kill" a former celebrity dance partner years before yesterday's arrest.
Reports resurfaced surrounding claims made by his former Strictly partner Fern Britton.
The pair danced together on the BBC show in 2012 and finished in 10th place - Chigvintsev's worst performance on the programme.
Fern previously told : “He would look at my feet and just kick me or shove me.
“He was like, ‘Shut your face. Go home before I kill you’."
Chigvintsev was the first pro dancer to win both versions of the hit show, Dancing with the Stars and Strictly Come Dancing.
In 2017 he moved to Dancing With The Stars where he was partnered with his future wife Nikki Garcia - also known as Nikki Bella in the WWE world.
The pair married in 2022 and share a son who was born in 2020.
Chigvintsev was released from jail on Thursday afternoon, records online show.
Having been booked in for domestic violence charges does not mean he has been formally charged.
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The Napa district attorney office said it does not yet have the case but will review it at a later date - when a decision on possible charges will be made.
Officer Wofford said details about the victim and any relationship between them were being kept private.
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