Melissa Rycroft was reportedly arrested recently for driving while intoxicated.
Rycroft, 42, was arrested for a DWI on September 23, according to TMZ. The outlet reported that the former Bachelor winner was released on bond eight hours later after posting a $1,000 bail with a promise to appear in court.
Rycroft’s attorney, Bret Martin, has since issued a statement on her behalf.
“I want to remind the public of the fundamental principle of our justice system…every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Martin told TMZ on Friday, October 3. “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.”
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He 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 further addressed the incident. Us Weekly has reached out for comment.
Rycroft rose to fame on Jason Mesnick’s season of The Bachelor in 2009, where she earned the final rose. Jason, 49, famously dumped Rycroft after the finale for runner-up Molly Mesnick, to whom he’s now married.
“I was so angry with the whole production. I was like, ‘They all lied to me. They all got me here. They got me dressed up.’ [And] I was furious with him for doing it to me,” Rycroft exclusively told Us Weekly in 2020. “I didn’t even have feelings toward Molly because first of all, it’s not her fault. I mean, if he contacted her, she’s allowed to talk to him. And she can’t help if he wants to be with her.”
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She continued, “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. 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.”
Later in 2009, Rycroft found love with Tye Strickland before they welcomed three children. She told Us in November 2020 that the couple didn’t plan to have any more kids.
“The problem is, we’re so far out of the newborn stage now,” the former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader told Us. “My youngest is four [now], and he’s the oldest baby that I’ve ever had in the house. I’m like, I don’t know if I could go back to the sleepless nights and the bassinet and the baby carrier.”
She added, “It’s kind of gotten to a point where they’re all kind of self-sufficient. They can play in the playroom, and I’m not worried about somebody dying. You know, life is good. … I put a decade of my life into that period. And now I’ve earned the reward.”
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).
