After testifying against her husband in a child support hearing last week, Steve Gill's current wife has filed a temporary order of protection against the political commentator and WLAC host.

After that hearing, Judge James Martin had Gill taken into custody over his failure to pay $170,000 in child support to his ex-wife, Kathryn. Gill has spent the last nine days in the Williamson County Jail.

In the order of protection, his current wife said she hadn't been able to live in their Brentwood home since February, and had to live with friends, inside hotels or other houses while pet sitting. The Tennessean doesn't name victims in order of protection cases.

"I was the only witness called to prove Steve had been lying under oath to the court," she wrote in her three-page description of abuse. "He represented himself, so he cross examined me. I was terrified visibly, shaking so much that I couldn't control my body from causing the microphone to continually have feedback."

She testified to 27 contempts of court by Gill during that hearing.

Per the order, Gill can't contact his current wife and must stay away from her home and workplace. He also isn't allowed to come around her at all. He will also have to leave the family home, undergo a certified batterers' intervention program and cannot possess any firearms. The order noted that Gill had firearms in his trunk and under the seat in car he left at the parking garage of the Williamson County Courthouse. It also detailed pistols, rifles and AR15s left in the family home.

'Power and influence to destroy'

In her description of abuse, his wife wrote Gill threatened to use his power and influence to take everything from her if she left their marriage.

"The history of his abuse, intimidation, verbal threats of what he'll do those I love," she wrote. "That he will take everything I have and use his power and influence to destroy me. Steve has pushed me, grabbed me. He liked to block me in the shower when I am nude, screaming at me, intimidating me, calling me disgusting names."

His wife wrote that Gill threatened World War III if she tried to divorce or leave. She detailed times where she locked herself in her car inside the family garage, where Gill would hit the glass windows on the vehicle and scream.

"I need protection," she wrote. "I am terrified. He is 'influenced' and 'powerful' and he used that to try to keep my from escaping."

She's also filed for divorce.

What lead to Gill's incarceration

The 23-page order filed in Williamson County Chancery Court detailed that Gill was willful in not paying child support to his ex-wife for their two children.

Gill testified that he didn't receive mailings from his ex-wife's counsel about the issue or that he had legally defaulted his obligation to pay. His current wife confirmed to the court that he did receive the mailings.

Transcript files of the hearing showed that Judge Martin determined that Gill waited until an action of default was placed against him.

"He made a willful decision not to defend himself," Martin said. "It may be that Mr. Gill made the conscious decision not to open his mail and thereby put himself in a position to be able to come to the court and say, 'Judge, I didn't know that motion for default have been filed.'"

Martin added that had Gill come to the court to explain a change in circumstance, he would have heard that case. But because Gill waited until it reached a default circumstance, he didn't follow proper procedure for requesting relief from the court.

"If you had wanted relief from the court, then you seek relief from the court," Martin said. "You don't respond to a petition for contempt."

Gill is being held on a $170,000 bond.

Reach Emily West at erwest@tennessean.com or 615-613-1380 and on Twitter at @emwest22.