A "Storage Wars" brawl broke out last week between stars Dan Dotson and Dave Hester as the cast of the A&E reality show was shooting in Palm Springs.
It happened on Friday, according to TMZ, when auctioneer Dotson reportedly failed to acknowledge a bid from another cast member. Hester then, instructed by the show's producers, tried to tell Dotson about his mistake.
But Dotson just ignored Hester, and then a brawl began when the men started threatening each other.
“I’m going to kill you!” Dotson allegedly screamed at Hester, according to TMZ.
Hester then reportedly punched Dotson in the face and, in the midst of the melee, Dotson's wife Laura jumped on Hester’s back, according to the celebrity gossip site.
The altercation escalated when Hester knocked Laura Dotson to the ground. After the fight, Dotson's wife screamed at Hester for knocking her down and for starting the whole incident. Using a string of profanities, she ordered Hester to leave the auction. An onlooker captured the
aftermath of the incident in a cell phone video released by TMZ.
Producers eventually stepped in and broke up the fight. Hester left the set and went to the hospital for a tetanus shot because Laura had managed to draw blood scratching him, TMZ noted. Dan Dotson later apologized to fans via Twitter.
For many fans, however, Dotson’s apology may not be enough. Many think the brawl was initiated as a
ploy for ratings, turning viewers off from the show, according to the Inquisitr.
Hester has never been much of a fan favorite and, in 2012, he sued "Storage Wars" for wrongful termination. He later reached a settlement with A&E and still appears on the show.
Production of "Storage Wars" is halted for now as a result of the brawl but A&E appears optimistic about the show’s return. On Saturday, just a day after the fight, the network tweeted about an upcoming marathon.
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