Crime & Arrests

Melissa Rycroft allegedly claimed to be the victim of a hit-and-run before cops arrested her for driving while intoxicated ... but, they say a witness totally contradicted the claim.

We've obtained a search warrant from law enforcement in Tarrant County, Texas ... which states officers responded to a call just after noon on September 23 -- where they say they found Melissa standing with an off-duty firefighter and swaying.

The officer claims Melissa had "bloodshot eyes, slurred speech" and alleges she "had a slight odor of a metabolized alcoholic beverage" on her breath.

6:10 PM PT -- Melissa's lawyer Bret Martin tells TMZ ... "I want to remind the public of the fundamental principle of our justice system…every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty. We, as a society, have gotten completely away from this fundamental concept. My Client was arrested  on the allegation of Driving While Intoxicated. An arrest is no indication of guilt."

He continues ... "It is imperative that we closely examine the circumstances of this case-including the conduct of law enforcement, the toxicology results, and the facts surrounding her arrest-before any conclusions are drawn. We respectfully request that the media and the public allow the legal process to unfold, and withhold any judgment whatsoever until all of the evidence has been properly analyzed and presented in a court of law."

Melissa Rycroft was arrested for driving while intoxicated this month ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the former 'Bachelor' star was busted for DWI in the Dallas/Fort Worth area on September 23. We're told she was taken into custody and booked into the local jail, where she sat for 8 hours before being released. She posted a $1,000 bond with a promise to appear in court.

The exact details of her arrest remain unclear at this point, but what is clear .. she's now facing a court date in connection with the charge.

Sha'Carri Richardson and Christian Coleman's relationship still appears to be going strong despite their public altercation earlier this year ... as TMZ Sports just spotted the pair looking awfully couple-y at LAX.

Coleman pulled up to the Los Angeles airport on Thursday in an SUV ... apparently to pick up the Olympic gold medalist after she touched down in the City of Angels.

The two stayed mum as our cameras rolled -- but they certainly seemed to be more than just friends, as Coleman not only took care of her bag, he also opened her car door for her.

Diddy's standing up for a pair of doctors who evaluated his sexual proclivities -- giving him 2 thumbs up -- and says they'll be in court ready to testify during his sentencing.

On the eve of his sentencing in federal court, Diddy filed docs with Judge Arun Subramanian, urging him to ignore the prosecution's pleas to disregard evaluations from 2 renowned doctors specializing in sexual disorders.

In the documents, he says Dr. Kreuger -- a Columbia University psychiatrist -- signed off on Diddy being "in complete control of his sexual urges and behavior."

Diddy's circumstances will only improve if he's sentenced to more time ... because he's probably headed for a prison better than his current one, a prominent consultant says.

We spoke with Sam Mangel -- a former convict who now works as a prison consultant for well-known figures -- on "TMZ Live" ahead of Diddy's Friday sentencing ... and we asked if he thinks Diddy's profile and the nature of his case will make him a target.

Mangel tells us Diddy's prospective prison will be a huge improvement when compared to MDC Brooklyn -- the prison where Diddy's been locked up since his dramatic 2024 arrest.

Erik Menendez is on the mend after going under the knife for kidney stones ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation tells TMZ ... Erik was transported to an outside medical facility on September 26. They tell us he's since been discharged and is back at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, where he remains in good condition.

A source confirmed to us Erik received treatment for kidney stones.

Jay Cutler's brief time behind bars has come to an end ... TMZ Sports has learned he's been released from jail.

Records we've obtained show the ex-NFL star got out of a Williamson County, Tenn. jail late Wednesday evening. He had been in custody since Monday morning.

Cutler was supposed to stay four days in the clink as part of his sentence for pleading guilty to misdemeanor DUI ... but he ultimately only spent about two and a half.

The 911 audio of the Iryna Zarutska fatal stabbing aboard a North Carolina train captures the sheer horror right after the unprovoked attack ... with callers seemingly resigned to the fact she was already dead.

TMZ obtained the audio recording of multiple witnesses making emergency calls from a Charlotte train station in August shortly after Iryna was stabbed.

The assault was captured on video and released to the media, sparking national rage over the senseless act and Iryna's tragic death.

Morgan Wallen didn't fess up immediately to tossing a chair off a rooftop bar ... instead telling officers he has no idea why he was being detained in newly released body cam footage.

The new footage from his April 2024 arrest shows Wallen attempting to leave Chief's on Broadway shortly after the furniture fell several stories down to the busy sidewalk below ... but, once he reaches the street, police officers tell him not to go any further.

A man who identifies himself as Wallen's bodyguard says he didn't see the country star throw anything off the roof ... while Morgan seems content to let everyone around him talk out the incident -- and, he tries to walk off again. An officer puts his hand on Wallen's chest and tells him he's straight-up not free to leave the area.

NBA YoungBoy's unruly teenage fan from his recent Kansas City concert now has a felony charge to his name before he can even get a driver's license -- for ASSAULT.

Tuesday, the unidentified 14-year-old -- who was filmed wailing the snot out of the 66-year-old usher working inside the T-Mobile Center during YoungBoy's "Make America Slime Again" tour stop in the city -- was charged.

A Kansas City court administrator tells TMZ ... "The teenager is now charged in connection with the attack of a T-Mobile Center employee during an NBA YoungBoy concert last week."

Before Diddy finds out how long he's going to prison, he's got some things to get off his chest ... and he's planning to say it in open court.

Friday's hearing in federal court -- where Diddy will be sentenced for his conviction on 2 counts of the Mann Act -- is a little more interesting now, because he wants to address the judge. In court docs, his attorney Teny Geragos says, "The sentencing proceeding holds significant importance for Mr. Combs. He wishes to appear before the Court, address Your Honor, and allocute in the most dignified and respectful fashion possible."

They're also asking Judge Arun Subramanian to allow Diddy to wear street clothes, instead of his jail jumpsuit ... clearly wanting to look his best for the big speech.

Laken Snelling's roommates grew suspicious when they heard strange noises coming from her room ... eventually sneaking in while she went to get food and discovering her dead newborn's body -- according to a report.

LEX18 -- a local news outlet in Lexington, Kentucky -- cites an affidavit from the Lexington Police Dept. stating Laken's roommates heard loud noises after they say she gave birth to the baby shortly after 4 AM on August 27.

Cops say Snelling told her roommates around 8:40 AM she'd passed out early in the morning, leading to the loud noises ... and, she planned to go see a doctor.

Gay porn star Austin Wolf is facing some stiff restrictions after he serves his prison sentence for child sexual exploitation ... and one of his limitations is a real kick in the balls!

Wolf won't be allowed to watch any adult smut films and, of course, kiddie porn after completing his 19-year term behind bars, according to new court docs. The feds have also slapped Wolf with a bunch of other very strict conditions that's sure to have him twiddling his thumbs when he finally gains his freedom back.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Wolf will be placed on supervised release for a decade once he's out and that's when the feds will really put the screws to him.

Wolf will have to take part in an outpatient program that includes regular testing to ensure he hasn't fallen back into drugs or booze. He's also required to undergo a sex offense-specific evaluation and mental health treatment with polygraph tests tossed in to keep him in check.

Another day, another eye-popping plane incident ... Check this one out -- an allegedly inebriated British man is physically pulled off a Ryanair plane by French police after he reportedly tried opening the emergency door mid-flight.

You can see the man is in shock that police want to take him off the plane and he refuses to move, all while cursing at the cops. The police don't put up with it for long ... they grab the man with so much force he's flung onto the passenger recording the incident across the aisle from him.

The man eventually accepts his fate ... but a younger guy identifying himself as his son continues to verbally berate authorities as well -- and gets his own escort out.

The suspected gunman who killed 3 people and left 5 injured after he shot up a waterfront bar and restaurant in North Carolina Saturday night appears to have scoped the site out the night before the attack ... and there's video evidence.

Check out the clip ... an eyewitness tells TMZ the accused killer Nigel Edge can be seen floating about 20 yards away from the American Fish Company in Southport, located on the Cape Fear River.

A person -- apparently Edge -- is behind the wheel of a white center console motorboat with the phrase "Game On" emblazoned on the side. The whole vessel is dark aside from the navigational lights on the bow. Something spooks him ... and he ducks down and slowly heads out of the area.

Benjamin Glaze -- the ex-"American Idol" wannabe who kissed Katy Perry on the show -- was slapped with a 25-year prison stint after his recent child porn conviction ... and newly revealed release conditions are so wild, they’ll be sure to raise his own eyebrows … though nothing else below the belt.

TMZ got the court docs, and they spell it out clearly ... after grinding through 15 years behind bars, he’s gotta strap in -- literally -- 'cause his 10-year suspended sentence comes with a wild list of hoops, including a penile plethysmograph test ... a device that tracks arousal while he’s shown everything from PG-rated content to flat-out filth.

On top of enrolling in a sex offender program, he’s also gotta take the Abel Screen -- a test that times how long his eyes linger on slides of kids versus adults.