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Sarah Hyland gets restraining order against ex-boyfriend Matt Prokop

Sarah Hyland, shown arriving at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in L.A. in August, has been awarded a temporary restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, actor Matt Prokop.
(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)
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Sarah Hyland of “Modern Family” obtained a domestic-violence temporary restraining order Tuesday against Matt Prokop, who was her boyfriend for five years before they split recently.

“The documents filed speak for themselves,” attorney Lee A. Sherman said in a statement. “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.”

Those documents, obtained by TMZ, reportedly detail a number of episodes of verbal and physical abuse, with the 23-year-old actress alleging four years of such treatment.

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According to the filing, Prokop in May allegedly pinned Hyland against a car, choked her to the point of damaging her voice and called her a vile name repeatedly during an argument over her attire, the website said.

Hyland said in the document that she enlisted fellow “Modern Family” cast member Julie Bowen to come to her home to help her get out of what she knew was an abusive relationship, according to TMZ. Prokop reportedly started screaming when he saw Bowen at his girlfriend’s house, threw a lighter at Hyland and then threatened to burn down one of her houses and threatened her dog.

Post-breakup, Prokop “relentlessly bombarded me with vile, threatening and emotionally disturbing texts and voice mails including his own suicide threats,” Hyland said in the documents.

The 24-year-old actor reportedly was in rehab until Sunday, and the director of that facility advised Hyland to get a restraining order against him, TMZ said.

It’s unclear exactly when Hyland and Prokop split; their breakup went public on Aug. 26, with a source telling Us Weekly that it simply didn’t work out. “She’s young,” the source said. “They decided they would be better off as friends.” Other reports referred to the split as amicable.

The two met in 2008 while auditioning for “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” and costarred in the 2011 TV movie “Geek Charming.” They later moved in together with a maltipoo, Barkley Bixby, who was given to Hyland by Prokop in 2010.

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He’s now required to stay 100 yards away from her and the dog.

A Prokop representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs.

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