Former The Bachelor contestant and Dancing With the Stars winner Melissa Rycroft has been arrested on new DWI charges in Texas. This comes months after receiving probation in a previous driving while intoxicated (DWI) case.
According to Tarrant County jail records, Rycroft was arrested on Sunday and booked on charges of driving while intoxicated, driving while license invalid with a prior conviction or suspension without financial responsibility, and collision. According to the record, the collision caused damage to a vehicle valued at less than $200.
Authorities have not yet released additional details about the alleged incident or whether anyone was injured.
The arrest comes only a few months after Rycroft pleaded guilty in a separate DWI case stemming from a 2025 arrest.
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New arrest comes during active probation
After being detained in late 2025 following a car accident, Rycroft was charged with DWI. In August 2026, she agreed to a plea agreement and was spared from jail time.
According to court records that Us Weekly was able to obtain, she consented to serve 20 months on probation rather than 280 days in jail. In addition, she was mandated to finish a DWI education program, perform 36 hours of community service, and pay about $2000 in fines.
She was also barred from using drugs or alcohol as part of the plea agreement, and she must report to the Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD) in Texas each month.
The latest charges could have significant legal consequences because they allegedly occurred while Rycroft was serving probation from her earlier conviction.
Texas law allows courts to review probation conditions if a defendant is accused of committing another offence during the supervision period. However, prosecutors have not yet announced whether they intend to seek revocation of Rycroft’s probation.
Authorities have also not disclosed whether chemical test results, including breath or blood alcohol measurements, were obtained during the latest arrest. Those details are often included later in court filings.
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Reality television star built career beyond The Bachelor
Rycroft first gained national attention in 2009 as a contestant on Season 13 of The Bachelor, where Jason Mesnick initially proposed to her during the finale before later ending their engagement in one of the franchise’s most talked-about moments.
She later competed on Dancing With the Stars, finishing third during her first appearance before returning for the all-star season and winning the Mirrorball Trophy alongside professional partner Tony Dovolani.
Rycroft’s latest arrest comes only a week after she posted images on Instagram from a Studio 54-themed party she hosted with her friends. The photos show Rycroft having a good time with her pals and husband, Tye Strickland.
The pair married in 2009 and have three children: Ava, Beckett, and Cayson.