Watch Nick Lachey’s Paparazzi Encounter Which Led to Anger Management

In the wake of Nick Lachey being ordered to attend anger management classes and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, there is footage of the incident that led to the police getting involved.

Multiple outlets report the 49-year-old singer’s court-ordered classes come after a heated exchange with photographer Jody Santos in March 2022, when photographers snapped pics of Lachey out to dinner with his wife, Vanessa Lachey, and a friend.

In an interview with Daily Mail, which was first to report the news, Santos explained what led to the heated altercation.

“He flipped me off and then I heard Vanessa say, ‘Go get ’em, open the door’ and then he started walking towards my car all aggressive,” Santos said. “I immediately locked my door and rolled up my window as fast as I could. He then started punching the window. I thought he was going to break his hand, that’s how hard he was hitting the glass. I am surprised he didn’t shatter the window.”

In the video of the incident, taken from down the street, Lachey is not seen actually hitting the window. However, he can be seen trying to reach in and snatch the photographer’s cellphone, with which she was also recording the encounter from inside the car.

In a video obtained by ET, Santos was interviewed on the scene of the incident and explained, “As he was walking away, I rolled my window down and grabbed my cellphone, started filming him, asked, ‘Why did you punch my window, what’s going on?’ And then he made a big ruckus.”

She also claimed to have smelled alcohol on his breath and can be heard telling Lachey, “I think your’re drunk,” as he stuck his tongue out mockingly and walked away from her car.

At the time, Lachey took to Twitter, where he admitted he “overreacted” but denied getting physical with the photographer.

“Last night, after enjoying a great dinner with my wife and our dear friend, the paparazzi harassed us as we walked back to our hotel. I clearly overreacted,” Lachey wrote at the time. “I’ve been in this game long enough to know that their antics are sadly part of the deal. Stupid of me. Done. However, for TMZ or anyone else to say that I was violent or that I ‘got physical’ with someone is reckless and absolutely false.”

In a statement to ET, the Los Angeles District attorney explained, “Mr. Lachey has not been charged with misdemeanor assault and battery. Instead, he is participating in LADA’s Prefiling Diversion program which was established in 2017. As part of these conditions, he must participate in anger management classes and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Successful completion of the Prefiling Diversion Program will result in no criminal charges being filed.”