The Bachelor’s Melissa Rycroft speaks out after arrest, says ‘life really sucks’

‘Bachelor’ alum and former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader was arrested last month for allegedly Driving While Intoxicated

Melissa Rycroft competed on season 13 of 'The Bachelor' in 2009 (Getty)

The Bachelor alum Melissa Rycroft-Strickland has admitted she’s been “struggling” since her recent arrest on suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated.

Rycroft-Strickland, 42, who competed on ABC’s popular dating franchise’s season 13 in 2009, was stopped in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and booked into the Tarrant County Jail on September 24. Arrest records, seen by multiple outlets, indicated that the former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader was jailed for about eight hours before posting $1,000 bail with the promise to appear in court.

Since her arrest, Rycroft-Strickland’s latest Instagram post has been flooded with messages of support from followers. In one, a fan offered an inspirational message about how they, too, “made the same mistake over 2 years ago because of a perfect storm of bad life events.”

“There’s no excuse, but it happened,” they wrote. “Don’t ever forget that you are beautiful, loved and blessed. But most of all, you are human. Things happen. Life happens. Be grateful that it wasn’t worse and move forward with grace.”

Rycroft-Strickland replied, touching on the personal difficulties she’s faced following her arrest. “Thank you,” she said. “Life really sucks right now and I’m really struggling, but I’m trying to march forward... but thank you for the sweet words in what seems like a world of negativity.”

Melissa Rycroft competed on season 13 of 'The Bachelor' in 2009 (Getty Images for ESPN)

Last month, the Southlake Police Department issued a press release saying they responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash around 12:05 p.m.

When they arrived, they found “a black Cadillac Escalade that had struck a tree.” “Prior to the crash, witnesses reportedly observed the Escalade driving erratically,” the statement added. The driver was later identified as Rycroft-Strickland.

The reality TV star was evaluated by officers on the scene and given a Standardized Field Sobriety Test before being taken into police custody.

“No other vehicles were involved, and no injuries were reported,” the press release concluded. “The case remains under investigation.”

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Melissa Rycroft responded to an Instagram comment, addressing the personal difficulties she's faced since her DWI arrest (merylstrick/Instagram)

Rycroft-Strickland’s lawyer, Bret Martin, issued a statement to People following her arrest, saying: “I want to remind the public of the fundamental principle of our justice system…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.

“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,” Martin added. “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.”

Best known for her appearance on The Bachelor, Rycroft-Strickland initially won the season, with Jason Mesnick proposing to her. However, in the final “After the Rose” episode, Mesnick broke up with her on live TV, and instead pursued the season’s runner-up and his now-wife, Molly Malaney.

Rycroft-Strickland went on to marry her ex, insurance broker Tye Strickland, in 2009. The two dated on and off before her appearance on The Bachelor, and reconnected after she had her heart broken by Mesnick.

They remain married and share three children.