Bachelorette star James McCoy Taylor accused of 'shoving' woman and 'getting on top her' as she tried to leave his apartment
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Bachelorette contestant James McCoy Taylor, 38, has been accused of 'shoving' a woman, reported to be a 19-year-old college student, to the ground 'without her consent' and allegedly 'getting on top of her' to 'prevent her from getting up.'
Taylor was arrested on August 4 in College Station, Texas by Bryan Police Department for the incident, after a warrant was put out for his arrest on April 24 which was the day of the incident, People reported.
The former TV star - who competed during JoJo Fletcher's Bachelorette season in 2016 - was charged with assault causing bodily injury and unlawful restraint, according to the outlet per jail records.
The woman's age and name was not noted in the warrant, but reported by KBTX as a 19-year-old college student.
Bachelorette contestant James McCoy Taylor, 38, has been accused of 'shoving' a woman, reported to be a 19-year-old college student, to the ground 'without her consent' and allegedly 'getting on top of her' to 'prevent her from getting up'
Taylor was arrested on August 4 in College Station, Texas by Bryan Police Department for the incident, after a warrant was put out for his arrest on April 24 which was the day of the incident, People reported
Taylor released a statement to People, denying the accusations: '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? I would never hurt anybody. I'm nice to EVER person I meet.'
Adding to the outlet that there wasn't 'as much as a scratch on me (as I showed to police via pictures of my whole body which was awkward to say the least).'
The incident comes two years after he was arrested for DWI and unlawfully carrying of a weapon, with an 'impaired' 18-year-old college freshman in his car with him - after he was caught urinating outside his pick-up truck in a parking garage at 1 am.
Taylor concluded his statement to People: 'I don't know the [woman's] name because we didn't spend much time together but I feel like she wouldn't want all this to have gotten here either if she could go back. And I don't hate you either. I just wish I knew where you were coming from and where this came from.'
Taylor was released the same day on an $8K cash bond - $4K for each charge - one for assault causing bodily injury and one for unlawful restraint.
The outlet obtained the probable cause warrant, which was issued by the police department, alleging that he: 'intentionally or knowingly by force, intimidation or deception, restrain[ed] [a woman] by shoving her to the ground, getting on top of her and using his body weight to prevent her from getting off the ground.'
He met her at Manziel's Money Bar in College Station and then went back to his residence, the probably cause document said, via People.
They allegedly 'made out' and the woman described it as getting 'very serious and intense.'
She then went to the bathroom and called a friend to reportedly ask them to 'order an uber so she could leave'.
He allegedly kissed her after walking her to his front door and then when she opened the door to exist, he began to kiss her again.
The former TV star - who competed during JoJo Fletcher 's Bachelorette season in 2016 - was charged with assault causing bodily injury and unlawful restraint, according to the outlet per jail records
The woman alleged that she then 'tired to leave but [Taylor] threw her down on the ground and got on top of her,' and accused him of 'groping her vagina' and 'using his body weight to hold her down and kiss her more,' according to the outlet.
The document noted that she said she 'wiggled free and escaped from the front door.'
Detective Gregory Blankenship Jr, who worked on the case, said in the probably cause document that there several contusions on her 'hip and the left side of her buttock.'
The detective also saw text messages from the woman to her friend, which included a message from her that said: 'He's forcing himself on me.'
Taylor told Blankenship that the interaction was 'enjoyable and consensual.'
He also denied 'shoving' the woman down and 'getting on top of her.'
This is not his first run-in with the law as he was arrested for driving while intoxicated and unlawful carrying of a weapon in September 2022.
A Brazos County judge had found Taylor guilty on both charges a month later.
He was ultimately sentenced to serve five days in prison, pay a $500 fine, and an additional $585 in court costs, in addition to a temporary suspension of his drivers license.
Taylor was also at the center of controversy as he participated in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots in Washington DC to protest former President Donald Trump's 2020 loss.
The events at the Capitol led to the deaths of five people, including protestor Ashli Babbitt.
The Capitol Police union says that about 140 officers were injured during the event, according to the Washington Post.
At the time Taylor took to X (formally Twitter) to write: 'Big thanks to #TheBachelor family for supporting me during this time … from top to bottom
'Conservative producers are the best!! Thank you @ABCNetwork @ABC & @BachelorABC for having my back while I legally supported our President.'
Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss later addressed the former contestant's claim as he wrote on January 2021.
This is not his first run-in with the law as he was arrested for driving while intoxicated and unlawful carrying of a weapon in September 2022 (pictured)
Taylor starred on JoJo Fletcher 's season 12 in 2016 (pictured)
Fleiss wrote: 'Whoever that former cast member/idiot jerkoff is that went to Trump’s treasonous rally, got a message for ya … You are officially exiled from #BachelorNation!!!”
Taylor was eliminated on week 7 of The Bachelorette in the series which aired in 2016 as he placed fifth.
Bachelorette Fletcher ultimately chose former pro quarterback and brother of NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Rodgers, and the two were married on May 14, 2022.
