BACHELOR ALUM MELISSA RYCROFT ARRESTED ON NEW DWI CHARGE

Melissa Rycroft, who appeared on Season 13 of The Bachelor, was arrested in Texas on 1 November on a charge of driving while intoxicated, according to police. The arrest came two months after she pleaded guilty to an earlier drink-driving charge and while she remained on probation for that offence. The new case also includes an allegation that she was involved in a hit-and-run incident involving an ambulance, though further details of that allegation have not been made public. Rycroft rose to fame on the show before working as a television personality, host and dancer.

Her first DWI arrest took place in September 2025, in Tarrant County. At the time, she told police that another driver had struck her car and fled the scene, but an eyewitness gave a differing account. Officers said she had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and a slight odour of a metabolised alcoholic beverage on her breath. Her car and a nearby tree were damaged, and officers said they found droplets of coloured liquid and spilled liquid inside the vehicle. She was released on bond eight hours after her arrest, after posting $1,000 bail and promising to appear in court. She later pleaded guilty to that charge.

After the 2025 arrest, Rycroft responded on Instagram to a fan who shared a similar experience. She wrote: "Life really sucks right now, and I'm struggling, but I'm trying to march forward." The fan had told her: "Don't ever forget that you are beautiful, loved, and blessed." It remains unclear what penalties Rycroft could face given her probation status. No court date for the new charges has been reported.