Former ‘Bachelor’ Star Melissa Rycroft Arrested on New DWI Charge
Former Bachelor contestant Melissa Rycroft-Strickland has been arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, just months after pleading guilty in a previous DWI case.
Rycroft, 43, was booked into the Tarrant County jail in Texas on Sunday, Nov. 1. According to police, she is accused of crashing into an ambulance in Southlake, Texas, and leaving the scene on Halloween night. Officers found her a short time later.
What Rycroft Is Charged With
Rycroft faces several charges in the new case. According to Tarrant County jail records, she was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving with an invalid license and a collision causing damage to a vehicle.
As of Monday morning, she remained in custody at the Tarrant County Corrections Center in Fort Worth, according to reports.
Rycroft has not publicly commented on the arrest. Her attorney, Bret Martin, has previously stressed that his client is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The New Arrest Comes While She’s on Probation
The timing makes the case more complicated. Rycroft was already on probation for a previous DWI when she was arrested.
In August, she accepted a plea deal in that earlier case. Under the agreement, she was sentenced to 20 months of probation and ordered to pay about $2,000 in fines and court costs. She was also required to complete 36 hours of community service and a DWI education course, and to undergo a substance abuse evaluation.
Her plea deal also prohibited her from drinking alcohol or using drugs while on probation. It’s not yet clear how the new arrest could affect the terms of her probation.
A Look Back at Her First Arrest
Rycroft was first arrested on Sept. 23, 2025, in Southlake. According to a police report, she told officers she had been involved in a hit-and-run, but witnesses said she was the only driver involved.
Officers reported that she had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, and she was taken into custody after field sobriety tests. She was released on bond about eight hours later.
In the weeks that followed, Rycroft opened up to fans on Instagram, writing that she was “struggling” but trying to move forward.
From Cheerleader to Reality TV Star
Before reality TV, Rycroft was a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. She became a household name on Season 13 of The Bachelor, which aired in 2009.
In one of the franchise’s most famous moments, Jason Mesnick proposed to Rycroft in the season finale, then broke off the engagement on national television to pursue runner-up Molly Malaney.
Rycroft later reunited with her ex-boyfriend, Tye Strickland, and the couple married in 2009. They share three children and starred in their own reality series, Melissa & Tye, in 2012. Rycroft also competed twice on Dancing With the Stars.
What Happens Next
Rycroft’s case will now move through the Texas court system, where the new charges will be addressed. Because the arrest happened during her probation, prosecutors may also review whether she violated the terms of her earlier plea deal.
Rycroft has not been convicted in the new case, and the allegations against her have not been proven in court.
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