DeAnna Pappas is speaking out after her recent arrest, which stemmed from an alleged altercation with her ex-husband during a custody exchange.

The incident, which occurred in February, led to Pappas being taken into custody after a heated argument with her ex Stephen Stagliano, following their split after 11 years of marriage. 

The couple, who share two children—Addison, 11, and Austin, 9—finalized their divorce in June 2024.

On April 3, a spokesperson for the Bachelorette star addressed the situation with a statement on her Instagram Stories. 

‘On behalf of our client, DeAnna Pappas, we wish to address recent public speculation and clarify the current legal status of matters stemming from an incident involving her former spouse,’ the statement began. ‘

‘After a full investigation and review of video evidence, the ᴀssigned detective determined that Ms. Pappas was not the aggressor. No criminal charges were filed.’

DeAnna Pappas is speaking out after her recent arrest, which stemmed from an alleged altercation with her ex-husband during a custody exchange; (seen in 2018)

The incident, which occurred in February, led to Pappas being taken into custody after a heated argument with her ex Stephen Stagliano, following their split after 11 years of marriage; (seen in 2015)

The statement continued, ‘In the best interest of the minor children, Ms. Pappas voluntarily withdrew a temporary restraining order in order to reach a cooperative agreement, allowing the children to be shielded from prolonged conflict and public exposure.’

The legal representative further emphasized, ‘Any continued attempt to distort facts or interfere with the children’s well-being will be met with the appropriate legal response. 

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‘Ms. Pappas remains committed to protecting her children from further trauma and maintaining their right to privacy, as recognized by law.’ 

They also requested that the media refrain from speculation that could negatively impact the children, concluding with, ‘This matter is proceeding appropriately through the legal system, and Ms. Pappas will not be making further comment at this time.’

The altercation reportedly began when Stagliano’s mother, Lynn, claimed to have smelled alcohol on Pappas’ breath during a pickup of their son Austin on February 26. 

Lynn’s statement led to further tension when Pappas confronted Stagliano that evening during a custody exchange for their daughter Addison. 

Pappas accused Stagliano of demanding she walk closer to him to ‘smell [her] breath’ to check if she was intoxicated, which she denied.

Things escalated when Pappas claimed that Stagliano followed her into the garage, where she attempted to shut the door, but he allegedly forced it open. 

On April 3, a spokesperson for the Bachelorette star addressed the situation with a statement on her Instagram Stories

‘On behalf of our client, DeAnna Pappas, we wish to address recent public speculation and clarify the current legal status of matters stemming from an incident involving her former spouse,’ the statement began

The legal representative further emphasized, ‘Any continued attempt to distort facts or interfere with the children’s well-being will be met with the appropriate legal response

The altercation reportedly began when Stagliano’s mother, Lynn, claimed to have smelled alcohol on Pappas’ breath during a pickup of their son Austin on February 26; (seen in 2016)

She later accused him of shoving her as she tried to escape back inside. 

‘I immediately went back inside the house and locked the door while I waited for the police to arrive,’ she said in court documents. 

Stagliano, however, called 911, falsely claiming that Pappas was the aggressor.

Pappas was arrested on charges of misdemeanor domestic violence and released on a $20,000 bond. 

She later voluntarily submitted to drug tests, which showed no traces of alcohol or narcotics. 

Pappas’ legal team maintains that the arrest was unwarranted, pointing out that no alcohol test was requested despite Stagliano’s claims.