Bachelor Nation alum Melissa Rycroft alleged she was involved in a hit-and-run prior to her DWI arrest.
TMZ was first to report that Rycroft, 42, was arrested late last month for driving while intoxicated. The publication has since obtained a search warrant containing more details about the incident that took place on September 23.
Rycroft allegedly told Texas police officers that a driver had hit her car and fled the scene, but an eyewitness apparently contradicted her report. Tarrant County police alleged that Rycroft had “bloodshot eyes” and “slurred speech” while she stood next to an off-duty firefighter on the scene.
The officer also alleged that Rycroft was swaying and there was a “slight odor of a metabolized alcoholic beverage” on her breath.
The former reality star’s black Cadillac Escalade was allegedly damaged on its right side. A nearby tree also appeared to have some damage as well, TMZ reported.
An eyewitness claimed Rycroft’s vehicle was the only one involved in the incident. They said her SUV was also swerving on the road as it was being driven.
TMZ reported that police at the scene administered field sobriety tests before searching the car and allegedly finding “fresh droplets of colored liquid substances and spilled liquids inside the vehicle,” which were believed to be alcohol.
Rycroft was taken into custody and held for eight hours before being released on a $1,000 bond and a promise to appear in court.
The former Bachelor star’s lawyer, Bret Martin, spoke out in a statement to the outlet on Friday.
“I want to remind the public of the fundamental principle of our justice system … every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Martin shared. “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.”
The statement continued, “It is imperative that we closely examine the circumstances of this case — including the conduct of law enforcement, the toxicology results and the facts surrounding her arrest — before any conclusions are drawn. We respectfully request that the media and the public allow the legal process to unfold and withhold any judgment whatsoever until all of the evidence has been properly analyzed and presented in a court of law.”
Rycroft has not publicly addressed the incident. Us Weekly has reached out for comment.
Before her stint on The Bachelor, Rycroft was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. She kicked off her reality TV career in 2009 when appearing on Jason Mesnick’s season of The Bachelor. While she earned his final rose, Mesnick, now 49, famously dumped Rycroft for his runner-up and now-wife, Molly Mesnick.
“I was so angry at the time, I didn’t even think about what was happening on that stage as I was riding off in the limo,” Rycroft told Us Weekly in 2020 about being broken up with on TV. “Filming that was the most awkward thing in the entire world because I’m looking at everybody going, ‘You all knew exactly why you were coming here.’ It was bad.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
