What caused Matt Prokop and Sarah Hyland’s split? Revisiting assault allegations as former gets arrested

Former Disney star Matt Prokop's recent arrest has brought attention back to his infamous past relationship with ex-girlfriend and actress Sarah Hyland back in the 2010s. Prokop was arrested on Saturday, May 18, for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. As reported by TMZ, Victoria PD officials stated that Prokop allegedly pushed his girlfriend and also slammed her head into an object.

Prokop and Sarah Hyland began dating after the duo auditioned for 2008's High School Musical 3. However, the duo split up in 2014 after Hyland filed a restraining order against Prokop. According to the order, Prokop had verbally and physically abused Hyland. The actor allegedly choked Hyland and even threatened to burn down her house.

Prokop and Hyland broke up in 2014 following allegations of abuse (Image via Getty)

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Matt Prokop's assault arrest recalls Sarah Hyland's 2014 restraining order

On Saturday, Matt Prokop was taken into custody in Texas by the Victoria PD. Sergeant Dailey of the Victoria PD told TMZ that Matt's girlfriend reportedly told somebody that the former actor had assaulted her when the duo were out together earlier that day. However, despite law enforcement being contacted, the duo left the area before they arrived.

Shortly afterward, Victoria PD received another call from a different location, where they found Matt along with his girlfriend. The actor had allegedly assaulted his girlfriend by pushing her and slamming her head into an object. Subsequently, he was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault along with resisting arrest for trying to escape from the cops while being arrested.

Matt Prokop's recent troubles served as an eerie callback to the actor's past relationship with Modern Family star Sarah Hyland. According to The Things, the duo met during the auditions for 2008's High School Musical 3, in which Matt played Jimmie Zara, and started dating a short while later.

Two years later, the duo starred together in the Disney Channel romantic comedy Geek Charming. Their relationship quickly took off, and Sarah even ended up gifting Matt a 1971 Volkswagen for his 21st birthday.

During a 2012 interview with Seventeen, Hyland, who was battling kidney dysplasia and in need of a transplant at the time, talked about how Prokop helped her with her medications and doctor's appointments. The actress told the outlet at the time:

"I am one of the luckiest people in the world to have him be there for me."

Prokop even made a guest appearance on Modern Family as a potential love interest for Sarah's character, Haley Dunphy. However, their relationship took a dark turn in 2014, when they broke up and Sarah Hyland filed a restraining order against Matt Prokop, citing verbal and physical abuse.

According to the court documents obtained by TMZ at the time, Sarah Hyland alleged that Matt Prokop had pinned her against a car while repeatedly calling her a c**t during an argument regarding her outfit. Hyland stated:

"His grip was so tight that I could not breathe or speak. I was scared and in fear for my life."

In yet another incident detailed in the documents, Sarah sought help from her Modern Family co-star Julie Bowen to break up with Prokop. However, when Prokop entered the house and saw Bowen along with a few others, he reportedly ran outside, started screaming, and even threw a lighter at Hyland. Bowen had to step in and tell Hyland to move out of the house, as she was in danger.

Court documents further revealed that Matt Prokop allegedly threatened to burn down Hyland's house and harm her dog. Even after the breakup, the actor was allegedly sending Hyland disturbing texts, including suicide threats.

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Despite being a well-known Disney actor in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Matt Prokop's last appearance on film was in 2013's April Apocalypse. His last credit in the industry was as a producer for the 2015 Sarah Hyland starrer See You in Valhalla.