Entertainment

'Southern Charm's Thomas Ravenel Was Arrested For Alleged Assault & Battery

by Allyson Koerner
Rodolfo Martinez/Bravo

On Tuesday, Sept. 25, Southern Charm star Thomas Ravenel was arrested by the City of Charleston Police Department for alleged assault and battery. Both the Charleston PD and Charleston County Sheriff's Office confirmed the news to Bustle. According to the sheriff's office's inmate records, Ravenel was booked around 10 a.m. local time Tuesday in Charleston County, South Carolina and his charges are listed as "assault and battery second degree." His bond has currently been set at zero dollars, and the reason for his confinement is described as "physical arrest." (Bustle reached out to Ravenel's attorney's team for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.)

Warning: This article contains information about sexual assault allegations, which some may find triggering.

On Tuesday, the Charleston PD sent Bustle the incident report filed prior to Ravenel's arrest. According to the investigation report taken on May 7, 2018, the alleged crime listed is "sex offense/forcible rape," which allegedly occurred in Charleston. Ravenel is listed as a suspect. There are also two unknown alleged victims from North Carolina listed on the incident report. According to the report, the alleged sexual assault took place during the second week of January 2015. Details and the reasoning for Ravenel's arrest still remain unclear at this time.

Also on Sept. 25, People reported that Bravo confirmed Ravenel will not return to Southern Charm for Season 6. Bustle has reached out to Bravo for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.

Bravo

Ravenel did not appear at the Southern Charm reunion for Season 5, which aired in July. In June, a Bravo rep told People, "The network confirms Thomas will not be at the reunion." At the reunion, Andy Cohen also read a statement provided to him by Ravenel's attorneys, which read:

"Along with Bravo, our client made the mutual decision not to attend today’s reunion taping as there is a pending investigation. Our client is fully cooperating with authorities on this investigation. He expects to be completely vindicated once the investigation is concluded. He sends his best regards to his fans and his fellow castmates."

The investigation mentioned is that of alleged sexual assault. As reported by People in May, Debbie Holloway Perkins claims Ravenel sexually assaulted her sometime in 2015. In addition to Perkins, another woman, his former nanny, Dawn, came forward with sexual assault allegations against Ravenel, according to People. Dawn filed a police report against Ravenel in May regarding the alleged sexual assault that she claims took place in January 2015. Based on the time frame of Dawn's alleged sexual assault, the incident report previously mentioned could be the one filed by her. Dawn told People in May that she was the woman who reported Ravenel to the police on May 7.

Paul Cheney/Bravo

Ravenel's attorney said in a statement given to People, regarding the sexual assault allegations, "My client enjoys a certain degree of fame and unfortunately has become — unfairly — a target for an individual who has, in my opinion, dubious motivations."

In a statement given to Bustle from Bravo on May 4, Haymaker, Southern Charm's production company, revealed it was conducting its own investigation into the allegation made against Ravenel. "Haymaker is conducting an investigation, and once all the information is gathered and carefully reviewed, appropriate action will be taken," part of the statement read.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit online.rainn.org.