Celebrity chef Justin Sutherland is facing criminal charges for allegedly threatening to shoot his girlfriend and strangle her, according to court documents obtained by Page Six.
Police arrested the 39-year-old “Top Chef” alum on Friday in St. Paul, Minnesota, and charged him with one felony count of threats of violence: reckless indifference endangerment, according to a probable cause statement.
The criminal complaint states the victim told police Sutherland pointed a gun at her and hit her in the chest, allegedly yelling, “Don’t come back here or I’m going to shoot you.”
The woman, whose name is being kept anonymous due to alleged domestic violence, also told officers that the “Fast Foodies” star put his hands around her neck and squeezed for several seconds.
While allegedly strangling her, Sutherland said, “I could kill you,” according to the probable cause document.
The complaint also states that Sutherland denied making any threats against his girlfriend.
Sutherland’s lawyer, John Daly, said the woman’s allegations were “riddled with falsehoods.”
“Mr. Sutherland vehemently denies all of the allegations in the complaint,” Daly told People in a statement. “He never threatened to shoot anyone. He did not physically assault his girlfriend. He looks forward to the truth coming out as the court process unfolds.”
Daly said the woman made the allegations after realizing “the relationship was coming to an end.”
Sutherland is the chef behind several well-known Twin Cities restaurants, including Handsome Hog, Big E and Gray Duck Tavern.
Last month, he announced plans to open new restaurants in the area in the fall.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in more than 170 languages.