Bachelorette's Contestant's Dark Past

0:00It's March 22nd. This is Durham News today, your AI-powered local news. A new connection has surfaced ahead of Taylor Frankie Paul's upcoming season of the Bachelorette. One of her suitors, 29-year-old cowboy Brad Lefford, was driving the car in a 2014 crash that left former congressman. Madison Cauthorn paralyzed from the waist down. The season was set to premiere on Sunday, March 22nd. Back then, Brad was 17 and Cauthorn was 18. Their vehicle flipped during the accident, sparking a fire that severely injured Cauthorn. Lefford works as a cowboy and entrepreneur, often riding with his horse Gus. Cauthorn has publicly called Lefford, his former best friend who abandoned him in the burning wreckage. Lefford pushed back. Insisting he pulled Cauthorn as safety as soon as he could, the two have not spoken much since. Meanwhile, Taylor herself faced legal trouble in 2023. She pleaded guilty to aggravated assault after a fight with her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen

1:00and got probation. Leaked video showed the altercation with her young daughter nearby. As fans tune in for the premiere, this shared history between contestant and politician as an unexpected layer to the show's drama.