Artem Chigvintsev’s week took a turn that even a tango couldn’t fix when he made a 911 call that left everyone spinning – and not in a good way. The 42-year-old ballroom sensation dialed up the emergency line, but instead of asking for a cha-cha-cha, he requested something a bit more… medicinal.
TMZ, ever the nosy neighbor, obtained the call and uncovered the bizarre details of this “Footloose” fiasco. Turns out, Artem was calling for help because – wait for it – his wife, Nikki Garcia, allegedly launched a full-scale footwear assault on him. That’s right, shoes were flying faster than sequins at a Dancing With the Stars finale.
The 911 dispatcher, doing their best to keep a straight face, said, “It started with a medical request, but now we’ve got an argument with some high-velocity shoe action involved.” And to add a little spice to the drama, they casually mentioned there was a “disturbing the peace” in the background. Because what’s an emergency call without some chaotic ambiance, right?
But here’s where things get really wild: after summoning the paramedics, Artem pulled a classic “never mind” and told them to cancel the whole thing. No medical help needed, apparently. Just a shoe-to-the-face situation that resolved itself. Totally normal.
The dispatch also pointed out that a child was in the house. Presumably, their four-year-old son, Mateo, was somewhere in the mix, probably wondering why Mom and Dad were reenacting a scene from The Devil Wears Prada. Thankfully, they were physically separated before things escalated to a full-blown shoe-off.
However, while the paramedics moonwalked out of the situation, the police weren’t ready to do the same. They waltzed in an hour later, saw some visible injuries, and decided that Artem’s next dance was going to be in handcuffs. Yes, the professional dancer was arrested for felony corporal injury to a spouse. Not quite the standing ovation he’s used to.
Artem was released on a cool $25,000 bond – because even in Napa County, freedom’s gotta come with a price tag. And as if things couldn’t get more surreal, his mugshot hit the internet, leaving fans wondering, “Is this part of a new reality show?”
Stay tuned for next week’s episode of Dancing with the Cops.