‘Shooter’ actor accused of attacking ex-girlfriend
A former girlfriend is suing Hollywood actor Ryan Phillippe on allegations that he kicked, hit and pushed her down stairs in an attack that has also been referred to the Los Angeles city attorney’s office for possible prosecution.
Elsie Rose Hewitt filed the lawsuit against Phillippe, her former boyfriend, on Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The July 4 episode was reported to the Los Angeles Police Department after Hewitt — June’s Playmate of the Month — went to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with visible bruising.
Hewitt told LAPD detectives she had entered the actor’s home early that morning to retrieve her clothing and that Phillippe kicked, punched and threw her down the stairs twice.
The attack was witnessed by her friend who accompanied her to the Hollywood home, according to police and the lawsuit.
Phillippe, the star of USA Network’s “Shooter,” has adamantly denied the assault, records show.
The lawsuit, filed by Hewitt’s attorney, Keith Fink, alleges assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress and paints a picture of the Hollywood actor enticing Hewitt to live in his home with him. Phillippe is 43 and Hewitt is 21.
The suit alleges that as Hewitt spent more time with him, she saw him abusing drugs including “cocaine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms and steroids.”
Matters came to a head the night before the incident when Phillippe became extremely jealous of the attention Hewitt was getting from other men at a party the couple were attending, the suit says. He then left the restaurant.
After the argument, Hewitt texted the actor, saying she needed to come by his home and retrieve clothing for a modeling gig. Hewitt and a friend then entered Phillippe’s home using the access code. According to the suit, she tried to talk to Phillippe, who was high and drunk, but he grabbed her upper arm so tightly it left bruises, and then threw her down the stairs.
When she got back on her feet, he kicked and hit her before picking Hewitt “up like a doll” and tossing her down the stairs a second time, the suit alleges. As he threw her boots at her, he yelled expletives and told her to get out of his house.
At Cedars-Sinai, the suit says, doctors diagnosed her with chest wall pain, abrasions and severe bruising, and a police report was made and subsequent stayaway order issued. Phillippe was served by authorities two days later. The order is no longer in force.
The LAPD has since turned its criminal investigation over to the Los Angeles city attorney’s office. Prosecutors there met with Phillippe and Hewitt recently.
Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the city attorney, said the office opted not to file charges at this point, but has up to a year to pursue misdemeanor charges against the actor.