The “Bachelor” alum and former “Dancing With The Stars” contestant was arrested on a complaint of DWI in North Texas, police say.
SOUTHLAKE, Texas — Melissa Rycroft Strickland, a “Bachelor” alum, former “Dancing With the Stars” contestant, and former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, was recently arrested on a complaint of DWI in North Texas, officials say.
She was arrested after a single-vehicle crash in the 1000 block of Breeze Way in Southlake shortly after noon Sept. 23., police say.
Police say officers found a Cadillac Escalade that had hit a tree, and witnesses reported seeing the Escalade driving erratically before the crash.
The driver, identified as Melissa Rycroft Strickland, 42, of Southlake, was evaluated by officers on scene and arrested on a complaint of DWI after a field sobriety test, according to police.
Following the crash and her subsequent arrest, Melissa’s lawyer, Bret Martin, told TMZ, “Every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
“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,” Martin told TMZ. “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.”
Melissa appeared on the 13th season of the reality dating show “The Bachelor” in 2009, where she was among the contestants vying for the affection of Jason Mesnick, who went on to marry runner-up Molly Malaney, according to Bachelor Nation. Melissa went on to marry Tye Strickland, according to Bachelor Nation.
The former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader also appeared on “Dancing With the Stars,” and won the ‘Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars’ championship with her dance partner Tony Dovolani in 2012, as ABC News reported.