Rick Van Vactor Arrested, Claims Self-Defense in Fight

Rick Van Vactor, a familiar face from TLC's "90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days," was arrested and subsequently released on bond on October 27 in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident involving his new girlfriend. The arrest, first reported by TMZ.com on November 5, has drawn attention to the reality star's personal life and raised questions about the circumstances of the altercation.

According to sources with direct knowledge who spoke to TMZ.com, Van Vactor maintains that his actions during the altercation were in self-defense. These sources further claim that his girlfriend was the instigator of the fight. The sources also indicated that the two have not lived together since the incident and that Van Vactor has no interest in reconciling.

The relationship between Van Vactor and the woman began in March after the two met online, according to the same sources. They noted that this was the first time an argument between them had escalated to this level. Van Vactor, whose legal name is Douglas Van Vactor, appeared on the TLC reality series where his relationship with Trisha Stiley was documented on camera; the pair ultimately split.

The arrest and the self-defense claims have not been independently verified by this publication. As with any criminal matter, Van Vactor is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. No further details about the incident or the status of any legal proceedings were available at the time of reporting.