Melissa Rycroft Allegedly Hits Ambulance and Flees Scene Before Second DWI Arrest in Texas

Melissa Rycroft Strickland, best known for appearing on The Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars, has been arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated (DWI) for a second time in Texas.

The 43-year-old former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders member was arrested in Southlake on Sunday, 1 November 2026, following an alleged hit-and-run involving a Southlake Fire Department ambulance.

The arrest came approximately two months after she pleaded guilty to a previous DWI charge stemming from a September 2025 incident.

Rycroft Faces Three Charges Following Alleged Collision

According to PEOPLE, the Southlake Police Department said officers responded to a reported hit-and-run involving a Southlake Fire Department ambulance at approximately 17:50 on Saturday, 31 October.

The ambulance was reportedly stopped at a stop sign when another vehicle struck it before leaving the scene. Officers located the driver a short time later and identified her as Rycroft Strickland. No injuries were reported.

Following an investigation, she was charged with DWI, second offence; causing an accident involving vehicle damage of more than $200; and driving with an invalid licence.

Page Six, citing Tarrant County jail records, reported that the DWI charge was classified as a second-degree offence.

Her combined bail was set at $9,000 (£6,800), according to PEOPLE and Page Six. She was listed as being in custody at the Tarrant County Corrections Center in Fort Worth.

Page Six reported that it had contacted her representative for comment.

Previous DWI Conviction Resulted in 20-Month Probation

Rycroft Strickland was previously arrested by Southlake police on 23 September 2025 following a single-vehicle crash.

According to a police statement cited by PEOPLE, officers responding to the incident found a black Cadillac Escalade that had struck a tree. Witnesses reportedly observed the vehicle being driven erratically before the collision.

Police identified Rycroft Strickland as the driver and conducted a Standardized Field Sobriety Test before arresting her. No other vehicles were involved, and no injuries were reported.

According to Page Six, Entertainment Weekly and Us Weekly, she pleaded guilty to the DWI charge in August 2026 and received a 20-month probation sentence instead of serving 280 days in jail.

She was also ordered to pay a $2,000 (£1,520) fine and additional court fees. Page Six reported that the total amounted to $2,087 (£1,585).

Her probation conditions included completing 36 hours of community service, attending a DWI education programme and undergoing a substance abuse evaluation.

She was also prohibited from consuming alcohol or using illegal drugs during probation. Additional requirements included installing a camera-equipped ignition interlock device in her vehicle and submitting to drug and alcohol testing, according to PEOPLE and Us Weekly.

Rycroft Rose to Fame on The Bachelor

Rycroft Strickland became widely recognised in 2009 after competing on the 13th season of ABC's The Bachelor, starring Jason Mesnick.

She received Mesnick's final rose and became engaged to him during the season finale. However, during the televised After the Final Rose special, Mesnick ended their engagement to pursue a relationship with runner-up Molly Malaney.

She later competed on the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars in 2009, finishing third with professional dancer Tony Dovolani.

The pair returned for the programme's All-Stars season in 2012 and won the competition, securing Dovolani's first Mirrorball Trophy.

Rycroft married Tye Strickland in December 2009, and they share three children.

The investigation into the alleged ambulance collision remains ongoing, according to the Southlake Police Department.