A former Bachelorette was behind bars last month after an altercation with her ex-husband.

In Touch Weekly broke the news on Monday that DeAnna Pappas— who starred as ‘The Bachelorette’ during Season 4 in 2008— was arrested on February 26 on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. According to the magazine, DeAnna’s ex-husband Stephen Stagliano (whom she met through Bachelor Nation), claimed DeAnna was drunk and had assaulted him, something the former reality TV star denied in court documents. DeAnna is currently seeking a restraining order against Stephen.

DeAnna and Stephen— who split last year after 12 years of marriage and two children together— each told different stories about the day that ended with DeAnna being arrested. In court documents filed by Stephen’s mother on March 7, Stephen’s mom claims to have smelled alcohol on DeAnna’s breath on the morning on February 26 when she arrived to take Stephen and DeAnna’s son to school.

DeAnna— who filed an opposition in court to Stephen’s ex parte application— claimed that, when Stephen came to DeAnna’s home later that night to pick up their daughter, he asked her to come closer so he could smell her breath for alcohol.

“I had not consumed any alcohol,” DeAnna wrote. “I ignored Stephen’s comment, and I walked back into the garage.”

DeAnna claims that Stephen followed her into the garage– despite the fact that their 11-year-old daughter was in Stephen’s car with the engine running. DeAnna claims she tried to shut the garage but Stephen blocked it from shutting and refused to leave. DeAnna stated she locked herself in the house, and allegedly witnessed Stephen “stealing items out of” her garage, an act she says their daughter recorded on her phone.

“Stephen took his hands, grabbing me, and then forcefully shoved me. He pushed my back again. In fear that he would hurt me, I immediately went back inside the house and locked the door while I waited for the police to arrive,” DeAnna wrote, adding that when the cops arrived, Stephen accused her of assault and of being drunk.

“Stephen had told the Sheriff that I was the aggressor who assaulted him, which was false,” she wrote. “At no time was I requested to test for alcohol despite Stephen’s allegations. In fact, the officer that arrested me exhibited no concern that I was at all intoxicated.”

Still, the former ‘Bachelorette’ was arrested on February 27 and was later released that day on a $20,000 bond. In her court docs, DeAnna stated that she willingly submitted to drug testing after she was released from jail and the results were negative.

In her court declaration, DeAnna stated that she does not have a drinking problem, and that Stephen is trying to portray her as an alcoholic to turn their kids against her. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by DeAnnaStag ➕ Blogger (@deannastag)

“The basis of [Stephen’s] is based on his fabrication that I am an alcoholic,” she claimed. “This is wholly false and fabricated as way for [Stephen] to gain leverage in his attempt to alienate the children from me.”

She declared that she is not an alcoholic, and that Stephen is guilty of coaching their daughter to “literally sniff out alcohol and to alienate her from me by making her believe that I am an alcoholic.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by DeAnnaStag ➕ Blogger (@deannastag)

On March 7, DeAnna filed for a restraining order against Stephen, requesting that he be ordered to stay at least 100 feet away from her. The exes are set to go to court later this month, according to In Touch.

DeAnna and Stephen agreed to share joint custody of their kids when they settled their divorce last June. (They announced their separation in January 2023.) 

Interestingly, though, their divorce agreement included specifications regarding drug and alcohol use. Stephen and DeAnna both agreed not to drink alcohol “in excess of the legal limit” when they had their kids, and not be intoxicated when the kids were in their custody. In addition, both parties had to agree not to take narcotics while they had the kids, or 12 hours before they would be getting the kids. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by DeAnnaStag ➕ Blogger (@deannastag)

DeAnna first appeared on Brad Womack‘s season of The Bachelor in 2007. (This was the season that Brad infamously rejected both of the final two women— DeAnna and Jenni Croft.) She went on to star as ‘The Bachelorette’ the following year, where she accepted a proposal from Jesse Csincsak. However, their relationship only lasted a few months. 

DeAnna met Stephen in 2010 when Stephen’s brother Michael appeared on Jillian Harris‘ season of ‘The Bachelorette.’ They married in 2011 and welcomed their daughter Addison in 2014, and son Austin in 2016. 

The couple announced their split in January 2023, with DeAnna writing on Instagram, “It is with immense sadness, Stephen & I have decided to end our relationship as a couple. We have been working hard for a long time — both as a married couple & as individuals & have come to the conclusion to remain separate. We remain loving parents to our beautiful children, Addison & Austin, & will continue to raise them together with love & faith.”

Neither DeAnna— who is now a “Mommy Blogger”— nor Stephen has commented publicly on the incident.