New information about Monica Garcia and her past relationship is being uncovered.
According to reports from The US Sun, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Monica Garcia’s ex was arrested in 2021 for “slapping her across the face.”
According to a police report obtained by the outlet, Mike Fowler was arrested on March 5, 2021.
The 45-year-old was arrested on charges of domestic violence assault, domestic violence in the presence of a child, and interruption of a communication device after Garcia called 9-1-1.
While she was speaking to officers via her Apple Watch, the reality star claimed that “her husband had hit her and now she was hiding in a bedroom.”
In was also noted in the report that a female could be heard “yelling for him to get away from her.”
Once Monica spoke to the officers in person, she claimed that she was “afraid of Michael and what he would do if she disobeyed him.”
Things got violent…
Fowler allegedly hit her after arguing about “some of the people that she had been associating with,” but those people were not named.
According to the report, “the argument got worse” when they returned home, “and that’s when he slapped her across the face.”
To make matters worse, the altercation allegedly occurred in front of one of her teenage kids.
Garcia shares three girls with Fowler, and a daughter, Bri, from a previous marriage.
The aftermath
According to the report, Fowler spent several days in a county jail and then pleaded guilty to assault in front of a judge.
After pleading guilty, he was reportedly sentenced to 12 months probation and had to pay $1,070 in fines.
The couple has a rocky history…
Monica Garcia finalized her divorce from her husband of ten years on Oct. 24, 2023.
The RHOSLC star was awarded $2,636 a month in child support and $4,000 a month in alimony, along with sole legal and physical custody of her four girls.
Garcia and Fowler got married in 2009 and she filed for divorce just four years later.
The first time around, they reconciled, but the reality star ended up filing for a second time in June 2023.
According to reports from Page Six, many fans speculated that her divorce was a result of her former 18-month-long affair with her brother-in-law.
But, earlier this month, Monica revealed in an Instagram post that they split over Fowler’s alleged abuse.
“The reason for our divorce was because of domestic violence,” she wrote in her caption.
“My ex was arrested a couple of times for domestic violence on me in front of our girls and violations of protective orders,” her caption read.
Garcia added that she “had hoped to talk about it on the show to help better explain why things are the way they are … [and to] bring awareness to women dealing with this issue and to help them see that they are not alone.”
Monica went on to address women involved in domestic assault situations directly, letting them know she supports them.
“I hope anyone going through this issue knows that I am with you,” she wrote.
“I hope you see that you can move on from this horrible situation and begin to give your children a better life away from these circumstances,” Garcia continued.
“That there is a life after abuse, that it wasn’t your fault, and that you have tribes of people ready to carry you through,” she assured fellow victims.
Hopefully, the reality star will get to spread her message on RHOSLC to reach a broader audience and help victims everywhere.