Melissa Rycroft was arrested in Texas on October 31, 2026, on suspicion of a second DWI, two months after a judge approved a plea deal in a case stemming from her 2025 arrest. Rycroft addressed her mental health in a statement posted to Instagram on November 3, saying she was seeking professional care.
Southlake police responded to a hit-and-run collision involving a fire department ambulance at about 5:50 p.m., according to a report cited by Us Weekly. Police said the ambulance was stopped at a stop sign when another vehicle struck it and left. No injuries were reported. Officers later located Rycroft, who was arrested and charged with DWI, second offense; an accident involving damage of more than $200; and driving with an invalid license. Records cited by the outlet listed $9,000 in total bonds.
Rycroft’s first arrest took place on September 23, 2025, in Tarrant County. A police report cited by TMZ said an eyewitness disputed her account that another driver had hit her vehicle and left, and described signs officers noted at the scene. Rycroft was arrested after field sobriety tests and later released on a $1,000 bond.
Her attorney, Bret Martin, urged the public to withhold judgment, emphasizing that an arrest does not establish guilt and that the case should be assessed through the legal process. Rycroft later replied to a supportive Instagram comment, writing that she was struggling but trying to move forward.
Prosecutors filed a criminal complaint in October 2025 alleging that Rycroft had operated a vehicle while intoxicated and had an alcohol concentration of at least 0.15 when her blood was analyzed. In August 2026, she pleaded guilty and received 20 months of probation instead of 280 days in jail, along with a $2,000 fine and court fees. Court documents cited by Us reported a blood alcohol concentration of .26 percent in the 2025 case.
The plea agreement also required community service, a DWI education program and substance abuse screening. It restricted her driving to a vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device and required her to abstain from alcohol and certain controlled substances, as well as check in monthly with the state’s community supervision department.
In her November 3 statement, Rycroft said she had been struggling with her mental health for some time and had concealed how difficult things had become. She wrote that she could no longer manage alone and was getting professional care, asking for understanding and privacy for her family. Rycroft shares three children with her husband, Tye Strickland.
Sources: Us Weekly.