Actor Denise Richards’ estranged husband, Aaron Phypers, has been hit with four felony charges following his arrest in court during a restraining order hearing on Friday.
According to reports, Phypers faces two felony counts of injuring a spouse and two counts of dissuading a witness by force or threat. Court records show that three of the charges are linked to incidents that allegedly occurred on January 17, 2022, while one charge of injuring a spouse is tied to an incident on May 3, 2022.
Phypers was released on a $200,000 bond after spending time in custody. His lawyer, Michael Finlay, expressed confidence that his client would be cleared of all charges.
“When a criminal case is filed, the evidence has not been fully laid out and considered,” Finlay said. “Criminal cases get filed all the time, and they get beaten. Just because a case is filed doesn’t mean it’s going to succeed.”
Finlay added that they believe the allegations made by Richards are false. “We’re feeling pretty confident that we have shown that her allegations are false in the domestic violence case in the divorce court,” he said.
Photos showed Phypers smiling as he left the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station after posting bail, posing alongside a California bondswoman.
Richards, 54, was granted a temporary restraining order against Phypers, 53, in July and is now seeking to make it permanent. Earlier this month, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star testified that her ex-husband had allegedly been violent toward her on multiple occasions — claims that match the dates listed in his criminal charges.
ALSO READ: Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz ‘Not Ready’ to Reconcile with Beckham Family Amid Ongoing Rift
She alleged that Phypers gave her a black eye during an incident in January 2022 and later “slammed [her] up against a concrete wall” between March and May 2022, causing her head to hit the wall.
Phypers has denied all allegations of abuse, telling the court he had no recollection of Richards’ injuries. A source close to Phypers alleged that Richards caused the black eye herself while drinking.
“This is consistent with the ongoing untruthfulness of Denise Richards, who is trying to hide her alcohol problem,” the insider told the Daily Mail.
Phypers has previously accused Richards of abusing painkillers and alcohol, also claiming that she “bruised easily” and was often injured accidentally. “She would bruise her arms, all sorts of stuff. She’d bruise herself while cooking or falling down,” he testified.
The court is expected to set a new hearing date as the case continues.
