Reality Show Bachelor Accused of Assault

LOS ANGELES (CN) - A contestant from Bravo's reality show "Matchmaker Millionaire" beat and choked a woman after he met her through an online matchmaking app, she claims in court.

Carlee Fugate sued John Bonavia on Wednesday in Superior Court, alleging domestic violence, assault, battery, false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Fugate and Bonavia are the only parties to the lawsuit.

Fugate says she began dating Bonavia after chatting with him using the online app Tinder in October last year.

She claims it did not take long for the relationship to sour, as Bonavia had a tendency to lose his temper after he drank alcohol.

Though the couple stayed together, Fugate says, she told her mother in May that she wanted out of the relationship.

She claims Bonavia beat her during the early hours of May 31 at her apartment in West Hollywood.

Fugate claims that Bonavia let himself into her home after a day of drinking that had started during the morning of the previous day.

After the couple argued, Bonavia became violent, Fugate says, throwing a vase against the wall, and "hit the back of her head with his fists."

Fugate says that when she tried to call 911, Bonavia smashed the phone against a wall, then pinned her onto the ground and hit her in the face.

"Fugate ran to the bedroom, followed by Bonavia, who ripped her shorts and proceeded to bite the side of her back and the side of her face. He then turned her over and started to strangle her with both hands around her neck. Fugate could not breathe and believed she was going to die. While choking Fugate, Bonavia repeated over and over again, 'I'm going to kill you tonight,'" the complaint states.

Fugate says Bonavia calmed down after she told him she loved him.

"Bonavia would not let Fugate touch any of her electronics and held onto her while he slept so that she could not get away," the lawsuit states.

Bonavia left the next morning, according to the complaint, and Fugate asked a friend for help.

"On or about June 1, 2014, the emergency room doctors diagnosed Fugate with a blunt head injury and asphyxiation by strangulation," the complaint states. Fugate says she had "multiple contusions on her body, popped blood vessels, a fractured finger, and a large bite mark on her back."

Fugate says she has moved out of her apartment and still needs treatment for her injuries. The complaint does not state whether she notified the police.

Her attorney Edythe Huang, with SBL Counsel, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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