'Jersey Shore's Ronnie Magro was charged with assault during filming

Jersey Shore cast member Ronnie Magro was arrested during filming for the MTV reality series after he punched an alleged heckler in the face.


The 24-year-old -- who also goes by Ronnie Ortiz-Magro -- was arrested on September 4 and charged with aggravated assault for striking a man with a closed fist, Seaside Heights police chief Thomas Boyd told People in a Wednesday report.

He spent a few hours in jail before being released on $600 bail.

"I definitely felt out of place," Magro told People about his time in prison. "It's definitely a place I never want to go back to again. Definitely a lesson learned."

Magro said he subsequently received a letter in the mail stating the charges against him had been dropped, however Mike Mohl -- chief of detectives with the Ocean County prosecutor's office -- claimed that the case is now with prosecutors and being reviewed for further action, People reported.


The alleged incident occurred when Magro and fellow Jersey Shore cast members "Snooki" Nicole Polizzi and "Sweetheart" Sammi Giancola were walking home from a bar.

Magro claims the three were accosted by a man who was being disrespectful to his friends, yelled "racist" remarks at the cast members' African-American security guards, and might have spat on him.

He then delivered the punch, which People reported will air during an upcoming Jersey Shore episode.

"He was just being a drunk jerk, saw the camera... [and] I think he chased us down like two blocks or something like that. At that point, you're like, ‘What am I gonna do?'" Magro told People.

"People [were] out of hand. I regret getting arrested. I don't regret having the fight."


It wasn't the only physical altercation Magro was involved with while filming Jersey Shore, as People reported a separate fight will air during this week's episode.

"I really don't feel bad for the altercations that I did get into in Seaside because I'm really not a person who likes to fight, he told People.

"You'll see throughout the show, we do go out and if we do get into an altercation. It's us just defending ourselves or reacting to somebody else."

Polizzi was also involved in another physical altercation during filming, as she was punched in the face by bar patron Brad Ferro in August.

Ferro was subsequently arrested and charged with simple assault for punching the 21-year-old Jersey Shore cast member. He pled guilty and was given a six-month suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay a $500 fine and take anger management classes.


While MTV promoted video of the punch online and in promotional clips that aired on the network, MTV subsequently decided against airing footage of it during the show's third episode.






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio