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Bachelorette Alum DeAnna Pappas Arrested Following Dispute with Ex-Husband Stephen Stagliano
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Former Bachelorette star DeAnna Pappas was arrested after a heated confrontation with her ex-husband, Stephen Stagliano.
The former couple, who announced their separation in January 2023 after 11 years of marriage, finalized their divorce in June 2024. They share two children: daughter Allison, 11, and son Austin, 9.
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the incident began on February 26 when Stephen’s mother, Lynn Stagliano, went to pick up Austin for school. In her declaration filed as part of the divorce proceedings on March 7, Lynn claimed she “very clearly smelled alcohol on DeAnna’s breath.”
Conflicting Allegations
Pappas responded to these claims by filing a restraining order against Stephen, requiring him to stay at least 100 yards away from her. In her filing, she described an escalating conflict that took place later that evening when Stephen arrived to pick up their daughter.
“Stephen told me that I needed to walk closer to him because he wanted to smell my breath to make sure I was not drunk,” Pappas alleged. She ignored his comment and walked back into her garage. Moments later, she heard a noise and saw Stephen following her inside while their daughter remained in his running vehicle.
“I tried to shut my garage door, but Stephen pushed it upward to prevent it from closing,” Pappas stated. “I shouted at him to leave, but he refused.”
She further claimed that after multiple attempts to shut the garage door, Stephen continued blocking it while calling the police, making her fear for her safety.
Physical Altercation and Arrest
Pappas alleged that after she called a friend to stay on the phone with her, she saw Stephen taking items from her garage. When she confronted him, she claimed he “grabbed me and forcefully shoved me.”
Shortly after midnight, police arrived at the scene. According to Pappas, officers informed her that Stephen had accused her of domestic violence and claimed she had been the aggressor. She was subsequently arrested.
After being released on bail on February 27, Pappas voluntarily submitted to drug and alcohol testing and stated she tested negative.
PEOPLE has reached out to both Pappas and Stagliano’s legal representatives for comment.
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