“Challenges from a low point in my past that have been brought up and severely misconstrued,” Strader claimed in a lengthy statement on Instagram
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(750x255:752x257):format(webp)/devin-strader-jenn-tran-091824-e36f748c29e84ef3a5f8331f5a68af84.jpg)
Devin Strader is speaking out after his previous arrests made headlines.
The season 21 Bachelorette winner addressed reports that he had been arrested on accusations of breaking into an ex-girlfriend’s house and violating a temporary restraining order against him. In a lengthy statement on his Instagram Story, he claimed the allegations were not true and expressed regret about how he handled his breakup with former Bachelorette Jenn Tran.
“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,” he began. “I want to apologize for the video I released following the final episode. I am not proud of that lapse in judgement. 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.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(740x476:742x478):format(webp)/jenn-tran-devin-bachelorette-082724-c5fe618988444c1794a32c44dcfabdfb.jpg)
“Most recently, there have been challenges from a low point in my past that have been brought up and severely misconstrued,” he claimed. “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. My college ex-girlfriend and I ended up reconciling, and eventually ended our relationship on good terms. This was the first time I ever fell in love and I learned a lot from our relationship. It was a growing experience for both of us.” [Editor’s note: A judge granted a temporary restraining order against Strader in March 2017, which was later extended by one month to April 2017. A permanent restraining order was never granted because his ex-girlfriend voluntarily dismissed the request.]
He concluded the explanation thanking his support system after asking for forgiveness from his fans.
“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 wrote.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(644x0:646x2):format(webp)/devin-strader-091924-a7488a6b0979421c8e50648aa5f7402b.jpg)
On Monday, Sept. 16, PEOPLE obtained a petition for protection from abuse from March 22, 2017, a woman named Strader as a defendant in her filing. She claimed that on March 19, 2017, shortly after the two “broke up,” she returned home from being out of town “to find her room burglarized” and an item missing. (Reality Steve was first to report the news.)
Explaining that Strader, who got engaged to the recent Bachelorette Jenn and later broke it off, never had a key or “unaccompanied access” to her apartment when they were together or after, the woman told police he lived only two doors down from her. The affidavit noted that the woman’s room was the only part of the house “that appeared to have been rifled through” and a jewelry box had been allegedly ransacked.
Police stated in the affidavit that there was “a broken bottle of perfume, a makeup tray was dumped out, and a diamond necklace was stolen during the burglary.” The necklace had allegedly been bought by Strader while the two were dating.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(487x204:489x206):format(webp)/Devin-Strader-091624-1a45c87e47a54532940898e78fbb4cf6.jpg)
The woman then filed a temporary restraining order against Strader, but alleged in a police report that after he violated it “numerous times,” he started a fire in the street near her home and burned “what appeared to be the actual restraining order.”
A proof of conditions document shows that Strader was later charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass, ordered to pay $500, complete 30 hours of community service and attend the “Court’s Effective Decision-Making School.”
According to a source close to The Bachelor franchise, the show takes “the safety” of the contestants “very seriously” and they “make every effort to conduct thorough diligence.” The source also told PEOPLE that the protective order against Strader “did not surface” in any background searches despite their “exhaustive vetting process.”The Bachelorette is now available to stream on Hulu.