Former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and television personality Melissa Rycroft-Strickland faces a new driving while intoxicated charge after police say a vehicle struck a Southlake Fire Department ambulance on Halloween and left the scene.
The arrest comes roughly two months after she received probation for an earlier DWI conviction.
Officers responded at approximately 5:50 p.m. October 31 to South Peytonville Avenue and Chimney Works Drive, where an ambulance had stopped at a stop sign, according to the Southlake Police Department account published Monday. Police said a vehicle hit the ambulance and drove away. No one suffered injuries.
Officers located Rycroft-Strickland, 43, a short time later. Jail records list a November 1 booking. Authorities accuse her of second-offense DWI, leaving the scene of a vehicle-damage collision, and driving with an invalid license. Officials set her combined bond at $9,000.
A New Charge During Existing Probation
The latest case follows a September 2025 Southlake incident in which police said Rycroft-Strickland crashed a Cadillac Escalade into a tree after witnesses observed erratic driving. She pleaded guilty in August 2026 and received 20 months of probation, according to court terms reviewed by US Weekly. Those terms reportedly included an ignition-interlock requirement, testing, and restrictions on alcohol consumption.
Under Article 42A.751 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, a judge may hold a hearing on an alleged supervision violation and continue, modify, extend, or revoke probation if the legal requirements apply. The statute gives the court several options rather than requiring automatic revocation after a new arrest.
What The Criminal Charges Mean
A second DWI offense involving one prior DWI conviction generally qualifies as a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code Section 49.09, rather than a second-degree felony. The law specifies enhanced penalties for a qualifying prior conviction.
Published accounts disagree about the damage amount attached to the collision allegation. Authorities have not established that the ambulance was traveling to an emergency or that anyone sustained injuries.
Rycroft-Strickland previously appeared on The Bachelor and won an all-star season of Dancing With the Stars. She served as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader during the 2006 and 2007 NFL seasons, appearing on CMT’s Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team before pursuing a television career.
Rycroft-Strickland remains presumed innocent of the new charges.
Provided by Dallas Express
