Updated

Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 26

Tom Sandoval Shoves Ex-Girlfriend's 56-Year-Old Father Into Fire Pit as Restraining Order Fight Escalates

Updated

Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 26

Tom Sandoval Shoves Ex-Girlfriend's 56-Year-Old Father Into Fire Pit as Restraining Order Fight Escalates

Q: With both sides claiming abuse and a shocking video, who is the real victim in Tom Sandoval's latest scandal?

It is not possible to identify a single “real victim” from the public record so far; the evidence points to a volatile incident with competing abuse claims that still need to be tested in court. The strongest verified fact against Tom Sandoval is the video. It appears to show him moving aggressively toward Victoria Lee Robinson, trying to take her phone, and then shoving her father, J. Will Robinson, into a lit firepit after J. Will intervened. That footage gives weight to J. Will’s account that he stepped in because Sandoval was acting aggressively, and it raises obvious questions about Sandoval’s use of force. At the same time, Sandoval’s claims are not trivial. He obtained temporary restraining orders against both Victoria and J. Will, and Victoria was arrested on June 3 on an intimate partner battery allegation, even though J. Will says prosecutors did not pursue charges. Sandoval also submitted claims of injuries, prior abuse, tracking, and property damage, including allegations that J. Will threatened him and punched a hole in a door while Sandoval was barricaded inside. What can be said now is narrower: J. Will appears to be the clearest visible victim in the firepit moment captured on video, while Sandoval may also be alleging victimization in a broader pattern of conflict that has not yet been fully adjudicated. The July 16 hearing, police records, medical evidence, and any full unedited footage will matter more than either side’s public narrative.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 26

Video from the June 3 incident shows Tom Sandoval, 43, shoving J. Will Robinson, 56, into a brick fire pit after Robinson intervened while Sandoval appeared to grab Victoria Lee Robinson's phone.
June 25 court filings show Sandoval sought restraining orders against both Robinsons, alleging Victoria punched him hard enough to cause bleeding and blurred vision and that her father lunged at him and damaged a bedroom door.
Los Angeles court records say Victoria Robinson was arrested June 3 on an intimate partner battery charge, and a judge temporarily granted the orders until a July 16 hearing.
J. Will Robinson told TMZ Sandoval was "very aggressive and threatening," said he called police for safety, and said he wants Sandoval kept away from his daughter and her home.
The clash adds to Sandoval's legal troubles after Rachel Leviss sued him and Ariana Madix in 2024 over alleged revenge porn and invasion of privacy.