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UFC Fighter Chuck Liddell And His Wife Arrested On Domestic Violence Charges In California
“I was the victim of the incident last night at our family home, as details of the case will reveal,” Chuck Liddell said in a statement posted to social media following the arrests.
Former UFC Fighter Chuck Liddell and his wife were both arrested for domestic violence after an incident at the martial artist's California home this week.
Chuck Liddell, 51, and Heidi Liddell, 41, were cited for domestic violence after Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the family's Hidden Hills residence on Monday for a disturbance report. Deputies were dispatched to the home around midnight on Oct. 11 over a "minor physical altercation," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office said in a statement sent to Oxygen.com.
Neither of the Liddells had sustained any visible physical injuries, authorities said; they were unable to determine who instigated the physical encounter because of conflicting statements, so officers placed both under arrest.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff, Chuck Liddell requested his wife not be taken to jail due to a minor being present at the couple's residence.
"Mr. Liddell asked if his wife could be cited and released so she could care for him," the sheriff's statement explained.
Heidi Liddell was released with a promise to appear citation.
Meanwhile, the former UFC fighter was booked into a Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station jail, officials said, and he was freed on a $20,000 bond on Monday. Police body camera footage from the incident was not released.
Following his release, the UFC fighter issued a public statement insisting he wasn’t the aggressor in the incident.
“I was the victim of the incident last night at our family home, as details of the case will reveal,” Liddell wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. "Last night the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies who responded were professional. While the information about this case will be revealed in due course, I believe it is important to convey and clarify a few facts about the situation.”
Liddell, who insinuated his wife had had a mental health episode, also claimed deputies wanted to arrest her but he'd “volunteered” himself.
“The deputies informed me that my wife would be arrested, as I did not respond to her assault while I sustained bruising and lacerations,” Liddell wrote. “I volunteered to go in her place. This was one of the many times I have tried to shield a family mental health issue from the public purview. It has become painfully apparent that this cannot continue, as our private life has now reached a public breaking point.”
The pro fighter concluded with a plea for privacy while the case works its way through the court system.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Heidi Liddell was also cited for domestic abuse. However, they did not make clear why she wasn’t arrested. She hasn’t publicly responded to the allegations in her spouse’s statement.
Chuck Liddell’s next court date is scheduled for Dec. 8 in Van Nuys Court. He hasn’t yet entered a plea. It’s unclear if he has retained legal representation in the matter.
A representative for the retired UFC fighter didn’t immediately respond to Oxygen.com’s request for comment on Tuesday.
Liddell, who launched his UFC career in 1998, is a former Light Heavyweight Champion. The pro mixed martial artist, who logged a 21-8-0 record, was inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame in 2009. He retired the following year.
