DWTS pro Cheryl Burke left ‘in complete shock’ over Artem Chigvintsev’s domestic violence arrest
Cheryl Burke responded to the recent arrest of her former Dancing With The Stars colleague Artem Chigvintsev for domestic violence.
Artem, 42, was jailed on Thursday on domestic violence charges after a fight reportedly broke out at the $1.5 million California home he shares with wife Nikki Garcia.
He was released on $25,000 bail hours later and Nikki has since left the state with their 4-year-old son Matteo, according to photos exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com on Saturday.
During the new episode of her podcast Sex, Lies and Spray Tans, professional dancer Burke said she was “completely shocked” over Artem’s arrest.
“I hesitate to laugh right now because of the current news,” said Burke, who has considered the Russian-born star a close friend for years.
“It’s just really hard for me because he was — he’s my family,” she continued. “I don’t know what to say here other than I hope everyone’s OK.”
Cheryl Burke responded to the recent arrest of her former Dancing With The Stars colleague Artem Chigvintsev for domestic violence
Burke’s connection to Chigvintsev predates their DWTS fame, with the star revealing that they literally “grew up” together.
“We used to live together in my family’s house in the Bay Area,” Burke said. “It’s so shocking. I’m getting emotional.”
“My condolences go out to everyone involved in this,” Burke concluded.
Chigvintsev was taken into custody at 10 a.m. PST Thursday in Yountville, the Napa County town where the couple has lived for the past several years, on charges of corporal injury to his spouse. TMZ reported
Later that same day, at 10:59 a.m. PST, Artem was booked into the Napa County Jail on suspicion of domestic violence and was subsequently released on bail.
In a photo released by the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, the dancer can be seen looking stoic in a green plaid shirt.
DailyMail.com has learned that he was driven out of prison in a black Ford F-150 pickup truck and has not returned to his parents’ home.
The radio broadcast obtained by the newspaper confirmed the report that the DWTS pro called 9-1-1 to seek medical attention. He claimed that his wife had thrown shoes at him.
But then he followed up by calling off the request for emergency medical care. Still, when police arrived at the house an hour later, they arrested Chigvintsev.
Nikki broke her silence on the incident in a statement asking for privacy.
“This is a private matter and Nikki requests privacy for herself and her family at this time,” the WWE star’s spokesperson said Friday.
On Saturday, Nikki and son Matteo were spotted boarding a JSX flight to Sin City at Oakland Airport, according to exclusive photos obtained by DailyMail.com.
Artem, 42, was jailed Thursday on domestic violence charges following a reported fight at the Napa Valley, California, home where he lives with his wife, Nikki Garcia
During the new episode of her Sex, Lies and Spray Tans podcast, professional dancer Burke said she was “completely shocked” over Artem’s arrest
“It’s just really hard for me because he was — he’s my family,” she continued. “I don’t know what to say here other than I hope everyone’s OK.”
Nikki, who wore a brown scoop-neck top and baggy jeans during the trip, will host a hot dog eating contest between Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi at the Luxor casino on Sunday. The contest will air on Netflix.
When she boarded, she was not wearing her wedding ring.
The arrest of the Russian-born star, who specializes in Latin American dancing, came just days after they celebrated their second wedding anniversary, which they both noted on their respective Instagram pages.
Bella shared a video montage documenting their relationship over the years, accompanied by lyrics from Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling In Love.
She spoke enthusiastically about their ‘love story’ and said that she ‘fell in love’ with Artem.
“This song is our love story. I will never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem,” she wrote.
‘A conversation with Him and God. How my feelings felt too fast. It all felt too fast. And then this song came. And then I knew I was falling in love with him and it was all meant to be.
“Happy anniversary @theartemc I love you guys!” Garcia concluded, adding photos from their wedding day.
Artem and Nikki met when they worked together on Dancing With The Stars in 2017
Just days before his arrest on Thursday, Artem declared his “love” for Niki on Instagram in honor of their second wedding anniversary
As for Chigvintsev, he raved about his lady, writing: ‘Happy birthday my love, I can’t see my life without you. You are my everything.’
The couple first met as partners on DWTS in 2017, but Bella was coincidentally engaged to actor and professional wrestler John Cena at the time.
But the following year, the couple broke off their engagement and Nikki finally started a relationship with Chigvintsev.
On July 31, 2020, they welcomed their first child together, son Matteo.
He was born just 22 hours before her twin sister Brie Bella (born Brianna Monique Garcia-Colace) gave birth to her son Buddy, her second child with husband Daniel Bryan.
Nikki and her twin sister are not only WWE icons, but also best known for their reality show Total Bellas on E!.