Melissa Rycroft-Strickland, known for her time on The Bachelor, was arrested in Southlake, Texas, on Tuesday, September 23, under suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
According to TMZ, Rycroft-Strickland, 42, was held in the local jail for eight hours before posting a $1,000 bond and agreeing to appear in court.
In a statement to People, Rycroft-Strickland’s attorney, Bret Martin, said, "I want to remind the public of the fundamental principle of our justice system…every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty. We, as a society, have gotten completely away from this fundamental concept. My client was arrested on the allegation of Driving While Intoxicated. An arrest is no indication of guilt."
People quickly flooded the reality star’s latest Instagram post with their reactions to her arrest.
"Drunk driving dude??? Really? After having uber and all these services to take you home after too many drinks? No excuses," wrote one commenter. Someone else said, "DEFINITELY time for some intervention if you’re getting arrested for DUI. Hope you can get some help." A third person simply said, "The mugshot wow," with another person replying, "Brutal! Lol! Seems like Melissa has had a rough day. Honestly that’s sad."
Rycroft-Strickland rose to fame on Season 13 of The Bachelor, where she competed for Jason Mesnick’s heart. She initially accepted his proposal, but the relationship ended dramatically when Mesnick ended things on live television to pursue a romance with runner-up Molly Malaney, whom he later married.
A former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, Rycroft-Strickland joined Dancing with the Stars in 2009 and returned in 2012 to win the show's first-ever all-star season. She eventually rekindled her relationship with ex-boyfriend Tye Strickland, and the pair went on to star in their own reality show, Melissa & Tye, in 2012. According to a social media post, the couple celebrated their 15th anniversary in December 2024.