Former "Bachelorette" star James Taylor rearrested on assault charges in Texas Shania RussellSun, March 22, 2026 at 9:07 PM UTC 0 James McCoy Taylor in 2017Credit: Rick Diamond/ACMA2017/Getty Former Bachelorette contestant James McCoy Taylor has been arrested again in Texas. On Friday, Taylor was rearrested in Brazos County, Texas, on charges of assault causing bodily injury and unlawful restraint, according to online records accessed by Entertainment Weekly. The arrest was in relation to an April 2024 incident. Taylor was subsequently released the same day on a $10,000 surety bond.
Former "Bachelorette" star James Taylor re-arrested on assault charges in Texas
Shania RussellSun, March 22, 2026 at 9:07 PM UTC
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James McCoy Taylor in 2017Credit: Rick Diamond/ACMA2017/Getty
Former Bachelorette contestant James McCoy Taylor has been arrested again in Texas.
On Friday, Taylor was re-arrested in Brazos County, Texas, on charges of assault causing bodily injury and unlawful restraint, according to online records accessed by Entertainment Weekly. The arrest was in relation to an April 2024 incident. Taylor was subsequently released the same day on a $10,000 surety bond.
Representatives for the Brazos County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment on what led to the re-arrest.
The reality star, who once competed for season 12 Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher's heart, was previously arrested on the same charges in 2024. He subsequently pleaded guilty in April 2025 to the assault of a 19-year-old Blinn College student and was ordered to perform to 80 hours of community service, pay a $750 fine and $350 in court costs, and attend anger management classes. He was additionally ordered to have no contact with the victim and was banned from the college's Northgate Entertainment District, where the incident occurred.
James McCoy Taylor's 2026 mugshotCredit: Brazos County Sheriff's Office
In a probable cause statement submitted by a law enforcement official and reviewed by EW at the time of his 2024 arrest, the incident that prompted the victim to call police was detailed. Taylor was accused of "restricting" the woman's movement, "shoving her to the ground," "getting on top of her," and "using his body weight to prevent her from getting off the ground" after she tried to leave his home.
She was eventually "able to wiggle free and escape through the front door," claimed the report.
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At the time, Taylor denied the allegations, telling PEOPLE in a statement, "I'm a pretty big guy but I was trying to 'unlawfully restrain' a girl and she just … got away?… And walked right to her Uber right outside my house? With NO injuries? Trust me, if there were ANY injuries they'd be all over the internet."
He added, "I would never hurt anybody. I'm nice to EVERY person I meet."
James McCoy Taylor and JoJo FletcherCredit: Greg Zabilski/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
This has marked a difficult week for the Bachelorette fandom after the upcoming season was pulled from ABC after footage of its would-be-star Taylor Frankie Paul appeared online, capturing a dispute between her and ex Dakota Mortensen that became physical.
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As for James, the 2024 incident was not his first run-in with the law. He was previously arrested in 2022 and later convicted on charges of driving while intoxicated and unlawfully carrying a weapon.
A year prior, the Texas native and outspoken Donald Trump supporter received heavy backlash from Bachelor Nation after encouraging others to attend the January 6th riot on social media the day before the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Taylor later clarified that he was not present during the incident, but claimed that the FBI visited his parent's home in Texas to ask them about his location.
on Entertainment Weekly
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Source: Entertainment
Published: March 22, 2026 at 11:36PM on Source: RED MAG
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