'Bachelorette' contestant Devin Strader's ex took out restraining order after burglary
"The Bachelorette" contestant Devin Strader was previously convicted in the burglary of an ex-girlfriend's Louisiana home, according to newly obtained court documents that describe an angry and volatile man who set fire to a restraining order.
Strader's ex-girlfriend placed a restraining order against Strader after police say he burglarized her home in Baton Rouge in March 2017 after she broke up with him, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY on Tuesday.
The ex-girlfriend, whom the Baton Rouge Police Department did not name, said Strader lived two doors away and took the diamond necklace he gave her while she was out of town, according to an arrest warrant affidavit first reported by Reality Steve.
Several days before the burglary, Strader's ex said she found him at her house "banging on the door several times and screaming at her." She stayed at her mother's home for several days afterward and decided to place a restraining order after the burglary, court records show.
USA TODAY has reached out to an attorney listed as representing Strader.
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Strader's ex says he burned restraining order, flattened tire
The day he was served the restraining order, Strader's ex said he "made a fire out in the street with what appeared to be the actual restraining order," according to the affidavit.
"She also had a tire flattened in her vehicle and when it was getting changed, (Strader) came outside and began laughing at her," the report says.
Strader pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing and simple criminal damage to property, accepting a less than $500 fine and a year of unsupervised probation.
Strader ended engagement with Jenn Tran over the phone
The revelations against Strader only further made him a polarizing figure in Bachelor Nation after the series revealed how he broke off his engagement with Season 28 star Jenn Tran.
During the post-season "After the Final Rose" episode, host Jesse Palmer shared that Tran's final choice, Strader, dumped her in a 15-minute phone call in August while the season aired.
"He basically said that he didn’t love me anymore and didn’t feel the same way," Tran said, adding that "he denied ever being in love." She added that Strader refused to go to couples' counseling as he "didn't want to fight for the relationship anymore."
Strader explained that he began to feel doubts throughout their two-month engagement but claimed he had been transparent about his feelings.
"I failed you, but everything I felt for you was real." Strader said. "I was regretfully late on letting you know. You are 100% right."
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY