James McCoy Taylor was arrested on DWI and weapon charges over the weekend.
The reality star, who made it until Week 7 on JoJo Fletcher’s season of The Bachelorette back in May of 2016, was booked by officers in the early morning hours on Saturday, September 10.
The 35-year-old country-western singer, who has been trying to make a name for himself since the reality show, was accused of Driving While Intoxicated and Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon, according to KBTX.
After being taken into custody, he has since been released on a $6,000 bond — $2,000 for the DWI and $4,000 for the firearm charge.
According to police, Taylor was found urinating in a parking lot in College Station, Texas, shortly after 2:45 a.m. An officer reportedly told him not to drive his vehicle, but he allegedly returned to the truck and drove it across a parking garage before he was arrested.
During a search, police reportedly found a handgun in the pocket of the driver’s door.
James McCoy Taylor gives his version of events
Following his arrest, Taylor took to Instagram to update fans with some details about his version of events. “My attorney advised me not to say anything yet,” he said in a caption alongside a picture of his mugshot. “But y’all know me. Very candid. Very open. I guess I’ll meet him in the middle and keep it short / maybe not as detailed as I’d like but let’s start with some facts.”
He went on to give an account of what he claims happened as the incident unfolded and said he hoped they would “release the body cam footage.”
James McCoy Taylor’s time on The Bachelorette
Back in 2016, on JoJo Fletcher’s season of The Bachelorette, James McCoy Taylor lasted until Week 7 before he was eliminated from the show.
He showed his talents early on, as he came out of the limo on night one of meeting the Bachelorette with his guitar in hand, strumming the instrument.
There has been a continuous controversy between James and other Bachelor alums since he was on the show, and after the season aired, dealing with his political viewpoints and stance on certain debatable topics. In fact, at one point, the show’s creator, Mike Fleiss, banished him from the franchise.
While the singer-songwriter was arrested this past weekend, he spoke out about the incident as a whole. James disagreed with a lot of it, but he also took some ownership by saying he was wrong to call one officer an idiot. However, much of James’ post was done in a sarcastic way, making light of the situation as a whole.
The Bachelorette airs on Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.