Season 22 of The Bachelorette hasn’t even started yet, but it’s already facing backlash. Fans of the franchise aren’t happy with Taylor Frankie Paul as the new lead, given her past relationships and arrest. And now, it was revealed that one contestant was linked to a paralyzing crash that nearly killed a former Congressman. Keep reading for all the shocking details.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s Contestant Linked To Paralyzing Crash
ABC released the names and faces of the suitors ahead of the Season 22 premiere next month. One contestant has a surprising connection to a former Congressman. The contestant was driving the car that left the former Representative paralyzed for life.
Madison Cawthorn represented North Carolina in the House of Representatives from 2021 until 2023, when he lost the Republican primary. The former Congressman was just 18 when he was involved in a car crash that left him in a wheelchair. The driver was his childhood best friend, Brad Ledford, who was just 17 at the time.
The two – who are still friends – have been locked in a legal battle since the 2014 car crash. Madison Cawthorn filed multiple lawsuits over the years. The first lawsuit was against Brad Ledford and Ledford’s parents’ company, which owned the car. The case was sealed in 2016 with a judgment that has never been made public.
The former Congressman sued the Bachelorette contestant again in 2018. The second lawsuit was the same as the first, but only named Brad Ledford as the defendant. It was dropped in 2022. According to The U.S. Sun, Madison Cawthorn filed at least two more lawsuits in North Carolina.
Madison Cawthorn Accused Bachelorette Contestant Of Leaving Him To Die
Madison Cawthorn has spoken out a lot about the car accident that left him in a wheelchair. During a speech at Patrick Henry College in 2017, the former Congressman made a shocking claim.
He claimed that his friend, Brad Ledford, left him to die in the fiery wreck. “He was my brother, my best friend. And he leaves me in a car to die in a fiery tomb. He runs to safety deep in the woods and just leaves me in a burning car as the flames start to lick my legs and curl up and burn my left side,” he said in the speech, according to PEOPLE magazine.
However, the Bachelorette contestant disputes that account.
Brad Ledford Has A Different Story To Tell
Brad Ledford admitted that he was driving the car when it crashed. However, he claimed that Madison Cawthorn had his feet on the dashboard, making his injuries worse. According to The Bachelorette star, he saved his friend’s life and didn’t abandon him as Madison Cawthorn claimed.
He told PEOPLE magazine a few years ago that he tried multiple ways to get Madison Cawthorn out of the car once he realized it was on fire. Brad Ledford said that he eventually smashed out the passenger-side window. He said that a bystander arrived and helped him carry Madison Cawthorn to safety.
At other times over the years, the Congressman has said that Brad Ledford saved his life. After losing the North Carolina primary, Madison Cawthorn moved to Florida to make a comeback bid for the 2026 midterms.
Watch the new season of The Bachelorette to see if Brad Ledford opens up about the car crash. Season 22 premieres on Sunday, March 22. Don’t miss the special Bachelorette reunion airing the week before.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger