A month after his soon to be ex-wife Evelyn Lozada filed for divorce, former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson has followed suit, filing his own divorce documents with a Florida court. Lozada, 36, filed for divorce on August 14, less than 50 days after the couple had exchanged vows, after being involved in an apparent domestic disturbance.
Lozada allegedly confronted Johnson over a receipt for a box of condoms, which led to him allegedly head butting her. Johnson was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor battery, and Lozada, a reality television star, had to receive stitches. It took less than 48 hours for the Miami Dolphins to release Johnson, a former Pro Bowler and “Dancing with the Stars” contestant, from his NFL contract.
Just a week ago Johnson, 34, had expressed that he was still hoping to reconcile his marriage, but it now seems as though divorce proceedings are inevitable. The pair did share a prenuptial agreement, which includes an agreement that both sides would pay their own legal fees in the event of divorce. Coinciding his divorce filing, Johnson entered a plea of not guilty to Florida’s Broward County Court on his assault charge. An October 31decision on the case could land Johnson in jail for up to year, along with a possible $1,000 fine.
“He’s a good guy that made a bad choice. He loves football and he’s very driven and a great dad. He made a bad choice that destroyed his life, and I hate that I’m connected to that,” Lozada said of Johnson during an appearance on Nightline. “I still love him. I feel bad for him because his life is now a mess.”
Before their split, the couple was set to star in a VH1 reality show, titled “Ev & Ocho.” Eleven episodes had been produced, with the first originally scheduled to air on September 3. Johnson, once known as Chad Ochocinco, proposed to Lozada in 2010, and the couple was married on July 4 of this year.
