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Jason Wahler better hope reality doesn't bite.
A civil trial kicked off today in Los Angeles in the case of a tow-truck driver who claims he was assaulted by The Hills hothead while trying to impound a car.
But before opening statements could commence, Wahler's legal team filed a motion seeking to keep lawyers from yakking on the case to the press. The lawyers stopped short at requesting a gag order—attorneys will be able to discuss procedural issues, for instance.
Wahler's camp has been on a campaign to keep the case on the QT.
Last month, at Wahler's behest, Superior Court Judge Elizabeth A. Grimes restricted plaintiff's lawyers from bringing up details of his reality-TV hijinks or bad-boy past, including the Laguna Beach bum's no-contest plea in the criminal version of the case in which he avoided a two-month jail term by entering rehab.
Stevenson, on the other hand, is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages from Wahler, 21. (Wahler's ex, model Kristen DeLuca, reached a settlement with Stevenson, agreeing to pay him $3,000 for her role in the smackdown.)
Wahler, who has resurfaced on The Hills, also has to deal with a separate complaint filed by a traffic officer also involved in the incident. Jonathan Wallace, who's black, claims he was socked in the eye by Wahler.