A contestant on the current season of ABC’s “The Bachelorette” has been identified as Brad Ledford, a man involved in a 2014 car crash that resulted in life-altering injuries for former U.S. Representative Madison Cawthorn, according to reports from multiple news outlets.
The crash occurred when Cawthorn, then 18 years traditional, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Ledford. Cawthorn suffered severe spinal injuries, leaving him partially paralyzed and requiring the use of a wheelchair, as detailed in a Wikipedia biography of the former congressman. Details of the crash itself remain limited in publicly available reports.
Ledford is now appearing as a suitor vying for the affection of Taylor Frankie Paul on the current season of “The Bachelorette.” News of his participation surfaced alongside renewed attention to the 2014 incident, prompting reports from The News & Observer and InTouch Weekly.
Cawthorn served as the U.S. Representative for North Carolina’s 11th congressional district from 2021 to 2023. His time in office was marked by controversy, including allegations of insider trading and other misconduct. He lost his bid for re-election in 2022 and is now seeking a return to Congress, running in Florida’s 19th congressional district, according to reports from October 2025.
In September 2025, Cawthorn was arrested in Florida for failing to appear in court on a traffic citation for driving without a valid license, as reported by the Fresh York Post. He was subsequently released on a $2,000 bond. The arrest occurred as Cawthorn was actively preparing his campaign for the Florida congressional seat.
Prior to his political career, Cawthorn worked as a staffer for U.S. Representative Mark Meadows. He was elected to Congress in 2020, becoming the first member born in the 1990s to serve in the House of Representatives.
