“The Bachelorette” alum Devin Strader denied allegations of assault towards his ex-girlfriend stemming from a 2017 arrest and restraining order that were recently unveiled.
“Following my time on ‘The Bachelorette,’ there have been many stories and misrepresentations put out in the media that I want to take a moment to address,” Strader began in a Thursday social media post. He pointed to “challenges from a low point in [his] past” that have “been brought up and severely misconstrued.”
In the affidavit from Strader’s arrest, reported by RealitySteve, Strader’s ex-girlfriend accused him of putting her in a chokehold and nearly killing her, with his ex waking up to bruises across her body.
“The accusations are simply not true as I have never inappropriately laid hands on another individual or treated my ex-girlfriend in any of the ways I have been depicted. That restraining order was never granted, and fully dismissed,” Strader continued, adding that he and his college ex-girlfriend ultimately reconciled and ended their relationship on “good terms,” while admitting it was a “growing experience for both of us.”
Strader also apologized for the 13-minute video he posted on social media in the aftermath of “The Bachelorette” finale earlier this month, where he seemed to defend himself after ABC star Jenn Tran called him out during the live finale. She said he shifted his behavior and his commitment to her before he ultimately ended their engagement while the season was rolling out.
“I am not proud of that lapse in judgment,” Strader said of the video, which has since been deleted. “I am truly grateful for my time on the show and for getting the chance to know and love Jenn. I certainly regret hurting her in any way. She is a very special person, and I wish her nothing but good things.”
“I know that I have made mistakes in my life and that I am not perfect, but I have continued to work every day to be someone that my family and friends would be proud of, and I am truly thankful to everyone who has been by my side,” he concluded.
Tran can currently be seen competing on “Dancing With the Stars” on ABC.
