Melissa Rycroft arrested for DWI in Southlake after crashing into an ambulance

Former 'The Bachelor' contestant Melissa Rycroft was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated in Southlake, Texas, after police said she crashed into a fire department ambulance and fled on Halloween. The collision happened just before 6 p.m. while the ambulance sat at a stop sign, and no injuries were reported. Officers tracked down the vehicle and identified Rycroft as the driver. She was charged with DWI, second offense; accident involving damage over $200; and driving with an invalid license, and bond was set at $9,000. She had pleaded guilty in August to a separate DWI from a September 2025 incident and agreed to 20 months of probation.

The Washington Times, the right-leaning source, leads with Rycroft's reality-TV past, calling her a former 'The Bachelor' contestant and 'Dancing with the Stars' winner; its excerpt omits the crash, charges and bond. The Los Angeles Times, the left-leaning source, leads with her repeat-offense record and the ambulance collision, citing the police department's press release and listing each charge and the $9,000 bond. Both sides agree on the Southlake arrest and the DWI charge, but only the left details the crash and prior probation. NewsNation, the alternative source, frames the arrest as her second in a year and her latest legal trouble.