Justin Bieber paparazzi Paul Raef has prior restraining order
Paul Raef, the paparazzi who has just been hit with a restraining order for wildly chasing pop star Justin Bieber, was also slapped with a restraining order back in 2010 for allegedly driving angry and then subsequently punching a guy in the face.
As previous reports have stated, photographer Paul Raef is facing four criminal charges from his July 6 car chase incident involving 18-year-old Justin Bieber. The police said that Raef was dangerously weaving in and out of traffic at the Los Angeles freeway at breakneck speed. Now, it seems that this is not the first time the paparazzi had a run-in with the law. Back in 2010, Paul Raef was also hit with a restraining order after allegedly getting into a violent argument with another photographer while trying to take a picture of supermodel Heidi Klum.
According to the court documents obtained by media outlet TMZ, Raef blamed the other photographer for blowing their shot to take a picture of Heidi Klum, so he chased after the photog through traffic and blocked his car. When Raef approached the other vehicle, the photog claimed he rolled down the window of his car to talk, but then Paul Raef immediately punched him in the face, which resulted in cutting his mouth open.
The punched photographer went to court and obtained a temporary restraining order against Paul Raef, but then he never followed up so the case was dismissed before Raef could tell his side of the story to the judge.
Reports said that the prior restraining order of Raef may have an effect if prosecutors seek to present it in the Justin Bieber car chase. Prosecutors might argue that the paparazzi has a pattern of engaging in reckless behavior on the road.