Melissa Rycroft Admits She Needs Help After Second DWI Arrest

WHO:

Yahoo - Melissa Rycroft, a married mother of three and alum of *The Bachelor* and *Dancing With the Stars*, said she was deeply ashamed and embarrassed about her arrest and its effect on her friends and family.

Yahoo - Rycroft said, “I've been struggling with my mental health for quite some time now,” and, “I'm finally admitting that I need help.”

Yahoo - Rycroft said she was getting professional care and that her family had stood by her.

Yahoo - Rycroft’s attorney, Bret Martin, said an arrest is not an indication of guilt and that people are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Yahoo - Rycroft appeared on the 13th season of *The Bachelor* and the eighth season of *Dancing With the Stars* in 2009. She later won *Dancing With the Stars*’ inaugural all-star season with partner Tony Dovolani in 2012.

Yahoo - Rycroft has been married to insurance broker and former reality star Tye Strickland since 2009.

US Magazine - Rycroft, 43, posted that she was “deeply ashamed and embarrassed” and concerned about the effect on friends and family.

TMZ - Rycroft described the arrest as her “rock bottom.”

WHAT:

Yahoo - Rycroft was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, her second DWI arrest in a year, and addressed it in an Instagram post.

Yahoo - She said she had tried to hide her struggles by smiling, but that things had been harder than people—including her family—realized.

Yahoo - Rycroft said, “No excuses at all,” and said she could no longer manage the struggle on her own.

Yahoo - The reported charges were second-degree driving while intoxicated; driving with a prior conviction or suspension without financial responsibility; and collision causing at least $200 in vehicle damage.

Yahoo - Rycroft pleaded guilty to the earlier DWI charge and agreed to 20 months of probation instead of 280 days in jail. She paid a $2,000 fine; court fees and a “trauma fine” brought the total to $2,087.

Yahoo - Martin asked the public and media to withhold judgment until evidence, including toxicology results and circumstances of the arrest, had been examined in court.

WHERE:

Yahoo - The arrest was in Texas. Rycroft was held at Tarrant County Corrections Center in Fort Worth.

Yahoo - Southlake Police Department made the arrest.

WHEN:

Yahoo - Rycroft’s Instagram statement was posted Tuesday, two days after the arrest.

Yahoo - The earlier arrest occurred in September 2025.

Yahoo - Rycroft was released after the earlier arrest on $1,000 bond and promised to appear in court.

Yahoo - She pleaded guilty to the September 2025 charge in August.

Yahoo - The article says the latest arrest occurred on Nov. 1.

US Magazine - The Instagram statement was posted Tuesday, November 3.

WHY:

Yahoo - Rycroft said her mental-health struggles had overwhelmed her and that she needed help to feel like herself again, for herself and her family.

HOW:

Yahoo - Rycroft said she was seeking professional care and working toward recovery.

Yahoo - Martin said the case should be assessed by examining law-enforcement conduct, toxicology results, and the facts surrounding the arrest.

(UPDATED November 4, 2026 08:00 UTC)

Melissa Rycroft was arrested in Texas on suspicion of a second DWI within a year. She called the arrest rock bottom, expressed shame, and said mental-health struggles overwhelmed her. Rycroft said she’s getting professional help; her attorney urged the public to reserve judgment.