Former Bachelorette star DeAnna Pappas has alleged that her ex-husband, Stephen Stagliano, was physically abusive during their marriage. This accusation is part of her request for a restraining order against him, following her recent arrest, In Touch can exclusively reveal.

DeAnna, 43, made these significant allegations against Stephen, 41, in her protection order petition, submitted shortly after a contentious encounter between them at her Los Angeles residence during a custody exchange.

Within her petition, DeAnna provided a declaration detailing the purported problems in their marriage. DeAnna and Stephen were married in 2011, and she initiated divorce proceedings in January 2023.

DeAnna claimed that Stephen “has struggled with depression … and has been held under a 5150 hold.”

In California, a 5150 hold is a temporary, involuntary psychiatric commitment for up to 72 hours. “I do not include this include to simply speak negatively of [Stephen],” DeAnna wrote.

She said Stephen’s alleged mental health issues “do not mean that I do not think he is a good father.” She said, “I know our children love him deeply and I believe that the two of us need to take a realistic look at what is going on.”

DeAnna claimed the incident at her home last month was not the first time things turned physical with them. She claimed Stephen physically assaulted her in the fall of 2022 at their home. She said he was screaming at her and calling her a “crazy bitch.”

She said her response to his remarks caused him to fly into a “violent rage.”

DeAnna claimed, “Stephen shoved me with one hand. Stephen clenched his fist on my shirt and bra with the other hand. Stephen forcefully shoved me backward into the refrigerator. I was pinned up against the refrigerator and restrained there by Stephen’s grip on my clothing. My shirt and bra both tore off my body. Stephen was pressing his chest and body into me so that I could not escape his grasp.”

She continued, “Stephen was screaming into my face, calling me a crazy bitch and a fucking nightmare. I was able to get my hands free and shoved Stephen off of me. Stephen walked away. I was physically shaking with fear.”

In her petition, DeAnna detailed another alleged incident in the fall of 2022. She said he screamed at her in the laundry room and used his body to block her exit and “he held me hostage in the laundry room while continuing to scream at me from the top of his lungs for five-six minutes.”

DeAnna said another incident went down on September 1, 2021, “while we were living with Stephen’s parents.”

She said, “Stephen physically assaulted me. We were in the living room.” DeAnna said Stephen shouted “vile” names at her and suddenly, without provocation, “Stephen leaped up from the couch and came running at me.”

“Stephen used his physical body to shove me backward into the bar stools. With his body, Stephen pinned me up against the bar stools.

Stephen forcefully pressed his body into mine to the point where I was bent backward and in pain. Stephen’s assault ended when I used my hands to shove Stephen off me.”

DeAnna also claimed Stephen shoved her while holding their other child, which caused her to stumble backward, while she was pregnant in 2016.

As In Touch first reported, DeAnna was arrested on February 27 after Stephen accused her of domestic violence. DeAnna said Stephen accused her of punching and slapping him. She denied his claims.

DeAnna claimed Stephen had demanded she come close to him so he could smell if she was drinking.

DeAnna said she refused to comply with his request but denied she was drinking. She said she went inside her home and locked the door.

DeAnna said she came back outside after hearing noise in her garage. DeAnna claimed Stephen took his hands and grabbed her, “then forcefully shoved me.”

She said, “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.”

Stephen called the police.

At the scene, DeAnna was arrested and booked on a misdemeanor charge. She was released hours later on a $20,000 bond.

DeAnna claimed she took a voluntary drug and alcohol test after being released, which came back as negative for both. A couple of days later, DeAnna filed the petition for a restraining order. Stephen has yet to respond.

In her petition, DeAnna included screenshots of a video she claimed her daughter shot of the altercation that led to her arrest.

DeAnna claimed the video proved her innocence.

A hearing has been set for later this month. DeAnna appeared on season 11 of The Bachelor and season 4 of The Bachelorette.

As In Touch previously reported, DeAnna and Stephen settled their divorce in June 2024. As part of the deal, they agreed not to drink excessively around the kids.

The provision read, “Neither party shall drink alcohol in excess of the legal limit during their custody periods, or have a child and/or children in their custody and control when being intoxicated.”