'Bachelor' star jailed after deadly crash, authorities say

This Tuesday, April 25, 2017, photo provided by the Buchanan County sheriff's office in Independence, Iowa, shows Chris Soules, former star of ABC's "The Bachelor," after being booked early Tuesday after his arrest on a charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident near Arlington, Iowa.
This Tuesday, April 25, 2017, photo provided by the Buchanan County sheriff's office in Independence, Iowa, shows Chris Soules, former star of ABC's "The Bachelor," after being booked early Tuesday after his arrest on a charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident near Arlington, Iowa.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Former The Bachelor star Chris Soules was arrested early Tuesday, accused of fleeing the scene of a deadly crash on a highway a few miles from his northern Iowa farm.

The Iowa State Patrol reported that a pickup rear-ended a tractor in Aurora around 8:20 p.m., sending both vehicles into a ditch and killing the tractor driver, whose name wasn't released. Aurora is about 15 miles south of Soules' farm in Arlington and about 65 miles north of Iowa City.

The Buchanan County jail said Soules, 35, was arrested around 1 a.m. in Aurora and booked an hour later on a charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.

A judge set a $10,000, cash-only bond for Soules. He hadn't been released from jail as of late morning.

The Buchanan County sheriff's office, which is also investigating, said it received a 911 call about the crash. It confirmed that a person was killed but said it wouldn't release further information "pending the investigation and notification of family."

Court records show that Soules has had some driving infractions in the past, including a 2006 conviction for operating while intoxicated.

Soules starred on season 19 of the ABC reality show in 2015 in which dozens of single women competed for his affections. He ultimately proposed to Chicago fertility nurse Whitney Bischoff, but their relationship ended shortly after the show.

Soules has since served as a spokesman for various agricultural interests and worked in farm real estate and investing.

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