Chris Soules is speaking out about his fatal 2017 car accident.
In a new interview with Good Morning America, the 37-year-old former Bachelor discussed his decision to leave the site of the accident, which recently led to a two-year probation sentence for leaving the scene of a personal injury accident. Kenneth Mosher, 66, died as a result of the crash.
“Alls I remember is waking up and just saying, ‘I need help.’ That’s all I knew is something bad had happened and I needed help,” Soules told Michael Strahan of the moments after the crash, which occurred in his Iowa hometown.
After calling 911, administering CPR and waiting for the paramedics to arrive, Soules left the scene a returned to his house, though he said he “had nothing to hide, honestly,” by doing so.
“I don’t know that I was thinking clearly. I notified the authorities of what had happened, the paramedics were there, but now I know I was scared and wanted to be in a safer place. I just went home,” he recalled. “When I left I called my parents. You know, they’re both in consensus [and] just said, ‘Call an attorney.'”
Soules was later arrested and initially pleaded not guilty to the charges. Though the police report cited alcoholic containers in the car at the time of the crash, Soules denied that he was drinking.
“The fact is the truck is not mine. It’s not even in my name. We employ over 15 people and those cans could have been anybody’s,” he said. “There were four witnesses that swore under oath that they saw no evidence of me appearing to be intoxicated or under the influence of any sort of drug or alcohol.”
“The fact is I was never charged with causing the accident. I was charged with leaving the scene of a serious injury accident. A man did die and that was a tragedy,” Soules added. “My sentence is living with this for the rest of my life. The sentence is replaying that moment standing there on the pavement and walking up to a man that wasn’t breathing… knowing I was involved in that — that’s the sentence that I’ve been given.”
Though he feels that he did everything in his power to save Mosher’s life after the accident, Soules said he wishes he “could’ve done more.”
“I wish I could have saved his life,” he said. “I wish I wouldn’t have been on that road. I hope you know I did everything I could.”
Earlier this month, Soules opened up about the tragic crash to People, telling the outlet that he “saw some dark times” following the accident.
“There is not a day that goes by that I don’t wish I could have done more or change the outcome of what happened. My outlook on life has changed forever,” he said. “I’m in the middle of nowhere as it is and I was even deeper in the isolation and the guilt. I thought many times that it would have been easier on the other side.”
Though Soules knows that he’ll “live with [what happened] forever,” he said that he is determined to “carry on, and as a result of the tragedy, do something bigger and better with my life.”
27 PHOTOSChris Soules in recent yearsSee GalleryChris Soules in recent years
INDEPENDENCE, IA – APRIL 24:(EDITORS NOTE: Best quality available) In this handout photo provided by the Buchanan County Sheriffs Office, TV personality Chris Soules, who starred in ‘The Bachelor,’ is seen in a police booking photo after his arrest on charges ofleaving the scene of a fatal accident after the truck he was driving rear-ended another vehicle April 24, 2017 in Independence, Iowa.The incident happened near Aurora, Iowa.(Photo by Buchanan County Sheriffs Office via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – APRIL 18:Chris Soules attends the 16th Annual Waiting for Wishes Celebrity Dinner Hosted by Kevin Carter & Jay DeMarcus on April 18, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for The Kevin Carter Foundation)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 05:(L-R) Reality TV Personalities Luke Pell, Chris Soules and Jordan Rodgers attend Becca Tilley’s Blog and YouTube launch party at The Bachelor Mansion on December 5, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)
LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 23:TV personalities Chris Soules (L) and Wells Adams attend the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena on September 23, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.(Photo by Mindy Small/FilmMagic)
BEN & LAUREN: HAPPILY EVER AFTER? – ‘Chad to the Bone’ – Ben and Lauren head to the woods for a camping trip with some former Bachelor contestants, but all hell breaks loose when villain Chad shows up and threatens to ruin everything, in an all-new episode of Freeform’s original series ‘Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After?,’ airing TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), on Freeform. (Adam Larkey/Freeform via Getty Images)CHRIS SOULES, GRANT KEMP, BEN HIGGINS
BEN & LAUREN: HAPPILY EVER AFTER? – ‘Chad to the Bone’ – Ben and Lauren head to the woods for a camping trip with some former Bachelor contestants, but all hell breaks loose when villain Chad shows up and threatens to ruin everything, in an all-new episode of Freeform’s original series ‘Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After?,’ airing TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), on Freeform. (Adam Larkey/Freeform via Getty Images)CHRIS SOULES
SANTA MONICA, CA – AUGUST 05:Television personality Chris Soules poses backstage at the ALT 98.7 Summer Camp at the Santa Monica Pier on August 5, 2016 in Santa Monica, California.(Photo by Amanda Edwards/WireImage)
DANCING WITH THE STARS – ‘Episodes 2210A’ – It’s the closest race ever with some of the best dancing celebrities have ever pulled off. Ginger Zee and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Nyle DiMarco and Peta Murgatroyd, and Paige VanZant and Mark Ballas have one last night of competitive dancing, vying to win the judges’ and America’s votes to be crowned the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ champion, culminating an incredible season, announced live TUESDAY, MAY 24 (9:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network. (Adam Taylor/ABC via Getty Images)CHRIS SOULES
CLEVELAND, OH – JULY 20: Chris Soules is interviewed by Rick Ungar in front of the SiriusXM booth at Quicken Loans Arena on July 20, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
CARSON, CA – MAY 14:TV personality Chris Soules attends 102.7 KIIS FM’s 2016 Wango Tango at StubHub Center on May 14, 2016 in Carson, California.(Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 07:Chris Soules attends the boohoo.com LA Pop Up Store on April 7, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for boohoo.com )
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 21:Chris Soules poses with Charlotte McKinney at the driver’s meeting prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 21, 2016 in Daytona Beach, Florida.(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
THE BACHELOR AT 20: A CELEBRATION OF LOVE – Romance is definitely in the air as we take a look back at 20 seasons of ‘The Bachelor’ and the fantasy of love – as well as the rollercoaster ride of falling in love. Viewers will catch up with some of their favorite Bachelors and Bachelor couples of all time and discover how these love stories have continued long after their final rose ceremonies. Then, Bachelor Nation is invited to another wedding, as Jade Roper and Tanner Tolbert, the newest sweethearts, tie the knot, when Chris Harrison hosts the two-hour special, ‘The Bachelor At 20: A Celebration of Love,’ airing SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 8:00-10:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Matt Petit/ABC via Getty Images)JJ LANE, NICK VIALL, CHRIS SOULES
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 21:Chris Soules poses with the pace car prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 21, 2016 in Daytona Beach, Florida.(Photo by Chris Trotman/NASCAR via Getty Images)
BACHELOR LIVE – Current Bachelor Ben Higgins, former Bachelor Chris Soules and ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ star Kris Jenner will appear as panelists on ABC’s after-show ‘Bachelor Live’ on MONDAY, JANUARY 11 (10:02-11:00 p.m. EST) following ‘The Bachelor.’ (Photo by Rick Rowell/ABC via Getty Images)BEN HIGGINS, KRIS JENNER, CHRIS SOULES
TORONTO, ON- OCTOBER 21 October 21, 2015 . U.S. Bachelor star and farmer Chris Soules poses for pictures. He’s in town for a Grain Farmers of Ontario event.(Vince Talotta/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 08: ABC’s ‘The Bachelor’ Chris Soules attends the annual gala ‘Friends of Hudson River Park’ at Hudson River Park on October 8, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Adela Loconte/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 07:Rumer Willis and Chris Soules attend the Bauru Bauru vs New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden on October 7, 2015 in New York City.(Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 22:TV personality Chris Soules attends ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 21 at CBS Televison City on September 22, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – MAY 09:TV personality Chris Soules arrives for the Premiere Of Disney’s ‘Tomorrowland’ held at AMC Downtown Disney 12 Theater on May 9, 2015 in Anaheim, California.(Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – MAY 07:Chris Soules attends the WETv ‘Pet Project’ To Raise Awareness For Canine Companions For Independence at Boulevard3 on May 7, 2015 in Hollywood, California.(Photo by Harmony Gerber/WireImage)
GOOD MORNING AMERICA – Couples booted off ‘Dancing With the Stars’ appear on GOOD MORNING AMERICA, 5/6/15, airing on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Ida Mae Astute/ABC via Getty Images)ROBERT HERJAVEC, KYM JOHNSON, WITNEY CARSON, CHRIS SOULES
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 07:(L-R) TV personalities Chris Soules and Kenya Moore, and actor Ian Ziering attend an event, hosted by WE tv and Ian Ziering, to raise awareness for Canine Companions for Independence at Boulevard 3 on May 7, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for WE tv)
DANCING WITH THE STARS: THE RESULTS – ‘Episode 2008A’ – ‘Dancing with the Stars: The Results’ continued on TUESDAY, MAY 5 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) where Chris Soules and Witney Carson were also eliminated. (Photo by Adam Taylor/ABC via Getty Images)TOM BERGERON, ERIN ANDREWS, CHRIS SOULES, WITNEY CARSON
DANCING WITH THE STARS – ‘Episode 2008’ — The six remaining couples on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ danced to a song and dance style voted on by viewers for ‘AMERICA’S CHOICE’ night on MONDAY, MAY 4 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET). America had creative control of the couples’ first dance, asking fans throughout the week via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for their input on wardrobe, set design and visual effects. Each couple performed two full routines including an individual original dance and a trio dance. For the trio dance, couples had the opportunity to pick an eliminated pro or troupe member to enhance their performance and highlight the strengths of each star. The trio dance styles include the Jive, Paso Doble, Samba and Salsa. (Photo by Adam Taylor/ABC via Getty Images) WITNEY CARSON, CHRIS SOULES, LINDAY ARNOLD
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 30: Chris Soules is seen in Hollywood on April 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 25:TV personality Chris Soules arrives at the 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on April 25, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)Up Next
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