The couple behind a video that has gone viral because of a heated argument between them and a renter is speaking out.
An HOA president from Puyallup, WA, his wife, and a renter recently had a dispute that went viral on TikTok—racking up 20 million views.
The fight ended in an assault arrest, with the renter eventually moving out.
And now the couple at the middle of the firestorm tell Realtor.com® their world has been turned upside down.
The viral video shows a heated exchange between LaGrande Station HOA president Chris Bartlett, his wife, Chrissy Bartlett, and their neighbor, Hipolito Gonzales.
Chrissy Bartlett seemed to be speaking with Gonzales when her husband is seen in the video rushing toward him, telling him to leave the neighborhood.
The caption of the TikTok video—which had been reposted on a “rage-baiting” account—said “This intoxicated couple is so entitled trying to force a marine veteran out of their neighborhood because he’s a renter.”
However, the neighbor is not a veteran, although he flew a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag outside his home.
“No. I’m not a veteran,” Gonzales told FOX 13 News. “The flag isn’t for any kind of veteran status. It’s just expressing my right to live freely, basically. The veteran status should not matter because, no matter if you’re a veteran or not, you should be able to keep to yourself and not be harassed.”
Chris Bartlett, on the other hand, is a veteran—and he and his wife insist they were not intoxicated when they visited Gonzales’ home on a weekday afternoon.
“The biggest mistake I made was trying to knock the phone off of Gonzales’ hand and not walking away,” says Chris Bartlett.
Chris was arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree assault. He and his wife later filed a report against Gonzales for alleged death threats she reportedly received—and that investigation is still active.
However, Gonzales denies contacting the Bartletts following the argument, according to FOX 13 News.
The backstory
In Washington, homeowners associations are widespread, with 44.8% of listings located within HOA communities, according to a recent Realtor.com report.
Chris Bartlett—who is a real estate agent and inspector—has been an HOA president for 13 years.
He confirmed to Realtor.com that Gonzales, as a renter, had received multiple HOA violation notices that were directed to his property management company.
The Bartletts own two properties in the neighborhood—one they’ve lived in for 20 years, and one they own and lease out, which is directly behind the home Gonzales was renting.
The Bartletts say their tenants had filed numerous complaints about Gonzales’ behavior.
“We went to Gonzales’ house not over the HOA situation, but about our tenant situation,” says Chris Bartlett. “Our tenant works from home, and he’d been having trouble working because of the loud music. They were scared to let their kids go into the backyard. We had to protect our tenants. There are laws that say we have to provide a quiet living situation for them, or they can walk out on their lease. I was going over there as a landlord to protect our investment.”
According to FOX 13 News, neighbors had called 911 dispatchers at least seven times to report noise complaints at Gonzales’ home since May 2025.
“This wasn’t just someone just having their stereo cranked up and listening to music—it was so loud you could even hear it when you pulled into the neighborhood,” Chrissy Bartlett—a local real estate agent—tells Realtor.com.
Chris Bartlett says he knocked on Gonzales’ door so they could discuss the situation man to man.
“I thought this dude wasn’t going to answer the door, but he answered with his camera from the get-go,” he says. “It was a calm conversation in the beginning, but it escalated quickly. Eventually, I walked away and went to my car, but I came back so aggressively because he was being verbally abusive to my wife.”
Chris Bartlett says in retrospect he wishes he would have just driven away.
“The biggest mistake is that I let him rage-bait me,” he says. “He started antagonizing me, and after so many months, I lost my composure. I allowed this guy to get to me, but I wish I could turn back time.”
The viral video backlash
After Chris Bartlett’s assault arrest, video of the interaction was posted on social media, where it spread like wildfire.
“We’re all human, and we all have bad days—ours just got put on the internet,” says Chris Bartlett. “The video has been sliced and spliced so many times, it’s mind-blowing.”
Chrissy Bartlett tells Realtor.com, “I am not perfect. I should have conducted myself in a better way, but I’m not sorry for what I said, and I’m not sorry for going over there. I had to protect what’s mine. Enough is enough.”
The backlash was instant. The Bartletts were forced to part ways with the real estate company they worked for and were hit with one-star Google reviews, and Chrissy stepped down from her position with the Washington State Fair Foundation Board.
At the same time, the hate calls and texts came in fast and furious. “I’ve received about 500 phone calls,” says Chrissy Bartlett. “Think of the worst thing you could say to a woman, and let your mind run with that. I’ve been threatened and have had death threats.”
The Bartletts believe people are simply responding to a false narrative—that they were trying to evict a veteran.
But, as Gonzales told Fox 13, he is not a veteran. And since the Bartletts don’t own Gonzales’ rental property, there would be no way for them to evict him.
“I was in the U.S. Navy from 1985 to 1992,” says Chris Bartlett. “I support our veterans.”
What the future holds
The couple said today was the first day they didn’t get any hate phone calls—so far.
As for Chrissy’s future in real estate, she says she hasn’t made a decision yet, but has met with the owner of another local brokerage who has been supportive.
Do renters have to follow HOA rules?
Attorney Chad Cummings, who is not involved in the case but has examined the situation, says renters are not always subject to HOA rules.
“The Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) run with the land and bind the owner of record, not the tenant,” he tells Realtor.com. “This means that the tenant has no contract with the HOA unless the lease incorporates the CC&Rs by reference. Most do-it-yourself lease templates found online omit these provisions, which is why working with a professional Realtor® is so important.”
Cummings says this means that when a tenant violates HOA rules, the HOA levies fines against the homeowner, not the tenant.
“The homeowner then must pursue the tenant or the property manager for reimbursement, but the HOA has no direct recourse against the tenant,” he says.
Cummings says a property manager acting on behalf of a landlord faces liability only to the extent its management agreement with the owner obligates it to enforce HOA compliance and communicate rules to tenants.
“If that agreement is silent on HOA enforcement, the property manager may owe nothing to the landlord,” he warns.
Cummings says landlords who fail to attach CC&Rs to the lease as an exhibit and incorporate that exhibit by presence into the lease agreement limit their ability to evict a tenant for HOA violations in most jurisdictions.
“The lease must contain a provision that treats HOA violations as lease violations, or the landlord may have no remedy other than absorbing fines indefinitely until the tenant’s lease expires,” he says.
Cummings tells landlords to never take legal matters into their own hands. “Consult with professional Realtors when drafting leases and real estate attorneys when it comes to enforcing those leases,” he advises.