Former ‘Bachelor’ contestant Melissa Rycroft has spoken out about her recent arrest for suspected drunk driving, admitting she’s finding it difficult to cope with the situation.
Forty-two-year-old Rycroft was arrested in the Dallas-Fort Worth region last month and held in jail for eight hours before being released.
The reality TV star recently shared her personal struggles, responding to a fan who offered support following her arrest.
Someone commented on Rycroft’s Instagram post from September 5th, sharing that they’d made a similar error two years prior due to difficult personal circumstances. They encouraged Rycroft to remember she’s human and to handle the situation with poise.
I was so moved by the lovely message this Instagrammer sent! Rycroft actually responded, thanking her for the ‘sweet words,’ and then she opened up about how much she’s been struggling lately. It was really brave of her to share, and honestly, it felt so relatable.
Things are really tough for me right now and I’m having a hard time, but I’m doing my best to keep going. I really appreciate your kind words – they mean a lot when everything else feels so negative.
The discussion started with a post showing Rycroft and her daughter, Ava Grace, who was preparing to perform with her drill team. Ava Grace is 14 years old.
She shared a memory from her high school drill team coach, who always said you only get one first game. Remembering that advice, she asked for good luck for her sister’s first game tonight, and jokingly added, ‘I’m not crying, you are!’ in her post.
Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE this! Colton, my Colton, from Season 23 of The Bachelor, was arrested! I saw it on TMZ last week – it happened on September 23rd. I’m just…completely shocked, but also still totally rooting for him!
The mother-of-three was then booked into a local jail but released after eight hours.
Sources informed the outlet that Rycroft posted a $1,000 bond with a promise to appear in court.
Details about what happened and the arrest are still coming out. But her lawyer, Bret Martin, did give a statement to TMZ.
Martin emphasized a core principle of our justice system: everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty.
Our society has largely forgotten a basic principle of justice. My client was arrested and accused of driving under the influence, but an arrest doesn’t mean they are guilty.
He stressed the need to thoroughly examine all aspects of the case – such as how law enforcement acted, the toxicology reports, and the details of the arrest – before forming any opinions.
We ask the media and public to respect the legal process and avoid making any judgments until all the evidence has been examined and shared in court.
In 2009, Rycroft was a contestant on season 13 of The Bachelor, where she vied for Jason Mesnick’s affection.
He proposed to Rycroft at the show’s finale, but then broke up with her on live television during the “After The Final Rose” special, revealing he was in love with Molly Malaney, who had been the second-place contestant.
In 2010, Resnick married Malaney, and Rycroft started dating her ex-boyfriend, Tye Strickland, again in 2009.
They got married and now have three children: Ava Grace, Beckett Tomas, who is 11, and Cayson Jack, who is four.
After the 13th season of The Bachelor finished airing, Rycroft continued to be featured on TV.
A former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader was a contestant on season eight of Dancing With The Stars, where she finished in third place.
In 2012, she won the All-Stars season of the show while partnered with Tony Dovolani.
Rycroft has talked before about her experience on The Bachelor and how difficult it was when her engagement to Resnick ended publicly.
In 2020, the mother of three appeared on a special episode of The Bachelor, called The Greatest Seasons – Ever!, where she was interviewed by host Chris Harrison, according to People magazine.
At one point, the TV personality admitted that she had yet to watch her season of The Bachelor.
I’ve never actually watched the season of The Bachelor that I was on. I haven’t even seen the ‘After the Final Rose’ episode. I’ve seen bits and pieces here and there, but it’s just strange to think about watching it.
Rycroft admitted it feels strange looking back. He said it seems like a long time ago, and he barely recognizes his younger self. Watching old footage and hearing people discuss the past actually makes him a little embarrassed.
‘I felt like such a little girl getting her heart broken and everybody got to see it and judge it.’
She later shared details about her life after The Bachelor, including raising her three children with her husband, Tye Strickland.
I’m doing really well, and I truly believe I wouldn’t be where I am today without my experience on The Bachelor.
I used to be with my husband a long time ago, but my relationship with Jason and its ending really impacted who I am today.
Because of what I experienced before, I was a changed person when Tye and I tried to make our relationship work again. I truly believe that if I hadn’t gone through that difficult time, we wouldn’t be together now.
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2025-10-07 18:34