Melissa Rycroft has broken her silence following her Halloween arrest.
The “Bachelor” and “Dancing With the Stars” reality television star wants fans to know “how deeply ashamed and embarrassed” she is after Southlake, Texas, police arrested her for allegedly driving while intoxicated, colliding with an ambulance and fleeing the scene on Saturday. The incident comes just months after the mom of three pleaded guilty to a separate DWI charge and agreed to serve 20 months of probation.
The former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader issued a mea culpa on Instagram on Tuesday, writing, “I want to share something personal, and to be honest, I am very ashamed to share it, but I can’t hide it anymore. I’ve been struggling with my mental health for quite some time now. It has completely overwhelmed me. I’ve tried to hide what I’ve been going through by putting on a smile, but behind the scenes, things have been much harder than anyone realized or that I have let on, even to my family.”
According to the Southlake Police Department, Rycroft allegedly collided with a Southlake Fire Department ambulance that was sitting at a stop sign just before 6 p.m. A short time later, officers tracked down the “hit-and-run vehicle” and identified the driver as Rycroft. While no injuries were reported, she was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, second offense; an accident involving damage of more than $200; and driving with an invalid license.
In Rycroft’s statement, she said that she was pursuing professional help. “No excuses at all, but I’m finally admitting that I need help. I’ve fought this for a long time on my own, and it’s time to admit that I can’t do it anymore,” she wrote. “I’m getting professional care. This is so hard to say and the shame is still very much there, but I’m ready to feel like myself again, for me and for my family. They have stood by me through all of this, and they deserve honesty. They deserve me at my best. That’s what I’m working toward for all of us.”
The TV personality then asked her followers to give her grace as she tries to get healthy. “And please respect my family’s privacy as they navigate this with me, too,” she added.
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