Sarah Hyland files restraining order: Claims ex Matt Prokop 'choked' her

By HOLLYWOOD LIFE and AOL STAFF

'Modern Family' star Sarah Hyland filed a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend of five years, Matt Prokop, on Sept. 19, claiming that he allegedly verbally and physically abused her throughout their relationship.

Sarah Hyland, 23, has accused ex Matt Prokop, 24, of "pushing" and "choking" her to the point where she was "in fear for her life," according to a shocking new report. Julie Bowen, 44, who plays Sarah's mom on Modern Family, reportedly witnessed some of the alleged abuse.

Sarah Hyland's Restraining Order Against Ex: She Says He Choked Her

Sarah alleged in court docs obtained by TMZ that Matt verbally and physically abused her during the last four years of their relationship.

In the docs, Sarah claimed that Matt held her up against a car during an argument about her outfit in May 2014, allegedly choking her and calling her: "c**t, c**t, c**t."

"His grip was so tight that I could not breathe or speak. I was scared and in fear for my life," Sarah said in the docs. She added that she suffered voice injuries and had a "very sore throat following this event," according to TMZ.

Sarah also revealed in the docs that she asked Julie Bowen and others to come to her house and help "peacefully end the relationship" with Matt. But when Matt arrived and realized what was happening, he "ran outside into the backyard and began screaming" and threw a lighter at Sarah, TMZ reports.

Julie told Sarah to leave the home at this point because she believed that Matt was a danger to her TV daughter. Sarah also claimed in the docs that Matt threatened to set fire to one of her homes and harm her dog.

After Sarah broke things off with Matt in August, he "relentlessly bombarded me with vile, threatening and emotionally disturbing texts and voice mails including his own suicide threats," she claimed in the docs. Sarah also revealed that Matt had checked into rehab in August, and when he got out on Sept. 21, the director of the facility called her and advised her to get a restraining order against him "due to his mental state and attitude against her," according to TMZ.

Sarah clearly took that advice to heart, and an LA judge granted her a temporary restraining order against Matt, who is now required to stay at least 100 yards away from both Sarah and her dog.

HollywoodLife.com reached out to Sarah's rep, who gave us the following statement from her lawyer, Lee A. Sherman of CTSC Law:

On September 19, 2014, Ms. Hyland obtained a Domestic Violence Temporary Restraining Order against Matthew Prokop. The documents filed speak for themselves. Out of respect for the court, the process and all parties, I have advised Ms. Hyland not to comment on the matter. We request that you respect the parties' privacy during this time.

Sarah's rep confirmed her and Matt's split to HollywoodLife.com in August, saying, "I can confirm they broke up."

A source close to the actress told Us Weekly at the time, "Sarah's doing fine. It didn't work out. She's young. They decided they would be better off as friends."

Sarah and Matt lived together during their relationship, and reportedly co-parented a 4-year-old Maltipoo, Barkley Bixby.