Ian Ziering's 2023 Biker Gang Drama Returns With Battery Allegation

The ghosts from Ian Ziering's past are back to haunt him!

The actor has found himself in the middle of a much bigger problem, as the victim of his alleged road rage incident is now accusing him of verbally and physically assaulting him during the encounter.

Ian Ziering's viral video during the New Year's Eve incident on December 31, 2023, showed him being surrounded by a gang of bike riders and ultimately getting into an altercation with one of them.

Ian Ziering Slammed With Battery & Assault From 2023 Brawl

The TV star's name was mentioned in the newly filed civil complaint in the County of Los Angeles, where the petitioner leveled the following claims against the actor - battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution, negligence, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Jacob Hernandez, who filed the complaint, accused the actor of verbally and physically assaulting him during the road rage. According to Hernandez, he was riding on the bike alongside another friend through a busy Los Angeles road on the last day of 2023.

He recalled pausing in front of Ziering's Mercedes-Benz in the middle of shifting lanes, but he insisted his move was not blocking traffic in any way.

Consequently, Ziering got out of his car and began yelling at Hernandez, shoving him in the process, causing him and his friend's bike to fall and sustain injuries, along with damage to their bikes.

According to PEOPLE, Hernandez claimed in the filing that "Ziering's actions were intentional, unnecessary, and posed a foreseeable risk of physical and emotional harm, which Hernandez in fact suffered."

Jacob Hernandez Claimed The '90210' Actor Manipulated The Media In His Favor

The affected biker continued in the filing that Ziering also took full advantage of his celebrity status to distort the true narration of events. He claimed that the actor achieved this by granting multiple interviews with news sources and giving them all false stories.

Hernandez added that the false accounts from Ziering ultimately led to his arrest on May 21, 2024, where he was held on a $50,000 bail. While his family ensured his release, the biker added that he was informed at his arraignment that the District Attorney's office had no criminal case against him.

He shared that the whole experience, due to Ziering's false stories, affected him mentally, giving him extreme anxiety, consistent panic attacks, and paranoia.

"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 suit continued. The biker noted that he is seeking compensatory damages, as well as punitive damages and a jury trial.

Ian Ziering Previously Expressed Shock Over The Bike Incident 

The actor finally broke his silence about the drama on January 2, 2024, when he revealed that one of his daughters was also in the vehicle. As reported by The Blast, Ziering registered shock over how everything turned out, describing it as an alarming incident.

"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," Ziering explained. He added that his action, unfortunately, escalated into a physical altercation, which he navigated to protect himself.

He stressed that despite the nature of the incident, he and his daughter escaped unscathed, but he left the scene with growing concerns about the boldness of groups who constantly "disrupt public safety and peace."

The Actor's '90210' Co-Star Praised Him For Defending Himself

In January 2024, The Blast reported that Brian Austin Green weighed in on the matter when it became public, with loads of acknowledgement to his pal and TV show co-star, Ziering, for taking down the bike riders who reportedly swarmed him. On his Instagram story featuring him behind the wheel, the star wrote:

"Hey, so I didn't get a chance to get into this at all. My boy Ian Ziering got into a fistfight on Hollywood Boulevard with like five dudes, and f-cking like beat them, did it, did his thing."

He raved about his friend's performance further, describing him as physically fit and advising people not to pick a bone with him for any reason. Green concluded, "But, you know what? All turned out well. Z, I love you, brother, you're a beast; good on you."

Ian Ziering Settled His Divorce From Erin Kristine Ludwig In 2022

Nearly a year before his involvement in the Los Angeles brawl, the actor settled his divorce from Ludwig, including dividing their properties. 

The actor was reportedly ordered to pay a tax-free sum of $362,000, which would also divide their community properties and assets. Ziering also got to keep several guns in his possession, which included a Dan Wesson revolver, a Sig Sauer 229, and a Remington Shotgun.

The TV star also retained possession of his 1960 Corvette and a timeshare in Cabo San Lucas alongside proceeds from the sale of his ex's engagement ring. He also kept residuals from his stint on "90210," but he would share profits from newer projects with Ludwig.

"All contractual rights and/or duties, including but not limited to rights to all sequels, income, and/or residuals for movies, television shows, cartoons, and/or other acting/entertainment jobs resulting in any future rights completed before May 28, 2010 (date of marriage)," the settlement read.

What would be Ian Ziering's reaction to this new development?