Yahoo News Ronnie Ortiz-Magro Granted Protection Order Against Ex Jen Harley After He Says She Attacked Him
Ronnie Ortiz-Magro has been granted an emergency order for protection against domestic violence after he says his ex-girlfriend Jen Harley attacked him, PEOPLE confirms.
On Wednesday, Ortiz-Magro’s lawyer said in a statement to PEOPLE that the Jersey Shore star, 34, was “viciously” assaulted by Harley while he was sleeping on Saturday evening.
“Regrettably, on Saturday night, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro was, again, the victim of a domestic violence incident at the hands of Jennifer Harley,” Ortiz-Magro’s lawyer said in a statement. “At that time, Ms. Harley, entered his home while he was sleeping and started viciously assaulting him.”
“Ronnie immediately called the Las Vegas Police Department and filed a domestic violence complaint against Jennifer,” the statement continued. “Then, this morning, a Family Court Judge in the Clark County (Las Vegas, NV) District Court, Family Division granted Ronnie an Emergency Order for Protection Against Domestic Violence. This Emergency Order is in effect until February 25, 2020.
When reached by PEOPLE for comment, Harley’s attorney Lisa Bloom said that Harley has yet to be served with the restraining order — and if she is, it will be opposed.
“Contact that Ronnie Ortiz had with Jenn Harley recently was in violation of the restraining order in effect against him,” Bloom said in a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday. “We have not received any restraining order against her, and if Jenn does get served with one, we will oppose it. Jenn just wants to raise her baby in peace.”
The exes have a volatile relationship history, each having accused the other of abuse and infidelity.
On Oct. 4, Ortiz-Magro was arrested on a kidnapping charge after an alleged altercation with Harley, 32. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE at the time that authorities responded to a battery report at around 2:40 a.m. “The victim and suspect were involved in some kind of physical altercation,” the spokesperson said. “Officers did have to use a taser on the suspect in which a minor use of force occurred. There was no further incident.”
The reality star was ordered to stay 100 yards away from Harley, TMZ first reported. The order was in place until Oct. 11.
According to the outlet, the order did not prevent Ortiz-Magro from seeing his daughter; however, law enforcement had to be present if he requested a visit. He reunited with the toddler for the first time two weeks after the incident.
According to Bloom, Harley obtained another restraining order against Ortiz-Magro on Nov. 8.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office turned the case over to the City Attorney. Ortiz-Magro was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence, one count of brandishing a weapon, child endangerment, resisting arrest and threatening to commit a crime, a City Attorney’s office spokesperson told PEOPLE on Oct. 24. He was additionally charged with willingly and unlawfully depriving Harley of her personal liberty, plus two charges of resisting arrest — one for each officer.
On Nov. 8, he appeared in a Los Angeles court and pleaded not guilty to seven charges, including false imprisonment of Harley, his rep confirmed to PEOPLE.
In December, Ortiz-Magro slammed Harley in a series of confusing and angry posts on his Instagram Story, accusing her of “abandoning” their 20-month-old daughter Ariana.
After sharing a series of text messages claiming Harley neglecting her motherly duties, Ortiz-Magro said he would “refuse to sit back anymore and let a mentally unstable person ruin my name, take my daughter, try to take my freedom with lies.”
“I am standing up for myself & my daughter and everyone else this person has been trying to hurt over the last week,” he wrote in the Instagram Story post. “Upset because I’ve moved on with my life. I refuse to be bullied!!! I am a great father, an amazing person! I’ve been harassed for the last 2 weeks, people I care about being harassed about fake stories being made up! Let’s [sic] the world know the truth!!”
“All I have ever done is provide for my family and try to give a life to them I never had … I didn’t even want to stoop to this pathetic level of instability,” he added. “But how many fake articles can one person wake up to? How many fake lies can one person deal with that my daughter will have to hear? How much emotional abuse, mental control can one person tolerate? How many people can I let this person try to destroy in my life that I carry about? I’m sticking up for myself, my daughter and the people in my life that this mentally unstable person has been harassing & threatening!!”
At the time Harley’s lawyer refuted Ortiz-Magro’s claims.
“Ronnie Ortiz-Magro is currently the subject of domestic violence restraining orders banning him from disturbing the peace of my client, Jenn Harley,” Bloom said.
“Nevertheless he chose today to post cruel and false statements about her, along with her work phone number, causing her to be subjected to a barrage of hate calls and texts from his followers. Jenn Harley simply wants to work and care for her baby daughter in peace. We will be taking appropriate legal action.”
