Ian Ziering Accused of Battery & Assault in Lawsuit Over 2023 New Year's Eve Altercation
Ian Ziering is facing a new legal dispute tied to a confrontation that allegedly unfolded on a busy Los Angeles street on New Year’s Eve 2023.
The Beverly Hills, 90210 actor has been named in a civil lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County by Jacob Hernandez, who is accusing Ian of battery and assault, along with several related claims including emotional distress, negligence, and malicious prosecution, according to a civil complaint reviewed by People.
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According to the lawsuit, the incident occurred as Jacob and a friend were riding motorbikes through heavy traffic in Los Angeles. The filing claims the two briefly stopped while attempting to change lanes in front of a Mercedes-Benz occupied by the actor, noting that traffic was already at a standstill.
Jacob alleges that Ian exited his vehicle and began yelling before allegedly shoving him without provocation, causing both riders to fall and sustain injuries while their bikes were damaged.
The lawsuit further claims that an alleged “melee occurred between [Ziering] and multiple individuals who came to the aid of [Hernandez].” He says the altercation was caught on camera.
The complaint also alleges that Ian later used his public platform to frame the narrative surrounding the incident, which Jacob claims led to his arrest in May 2024. He was released after his family posted the $50,000 bail. At his arraignment the following month, Jacob was told the District Attorney’s office was not moving forward with criminal charges.
“[Hernandez] had his name negatively plastered in the media as a result of the public megaphone which the [Ziering] held, lying by omission in multiple interviews, making [Hernandez] out to be the aggressor.[Hernandez] does not want to leave his home for fear of public humiliation nor open his social media applications, as [Ziering's] story was publicized vilifying [Hernandez],” the filing claims.
Jacob is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and has requested a jury trial.
A few days after the alleged incident, Ian shared his version of events on Instagram, noting that his daughter, Penna, 10, was present.
Ian previously said the encounter escalated after he exited his vehicle to assess possible damage and said he navigated the situation to protect himself.
“Yesterday, I experienced an alarming incident involving a group of individuals on mini bikes. While stuck in traffic, my car was approached aggressively by one of these riders leading to an unsettling confrontation. In an attempt to assess any damage I exited my car. This action, unfortunately, escalated into a physical altercation, which I navigated to protect myself,” he wrote at the time.