‘Top Chef’ Winner Kelsey Barnard Clark’s DUI Arrest Report Claims Kids Were In Vehicle

Kelsey Barnard Clark, the "Top Chef" winner who took home the crown in 2019, was arrested Wednesday night in Alabama after police say she crashed her vehicle into a mailbox in a Dothan neighborhood. According to Dothan Police Lt. Scott Owens, officers responded to a call about a vehicle striking a mailbox on the 1300 block of Selkirk Drive and concluded that Clark appeared to be under the influence. Police say Kelsey Barnard Clark was given field sobriety tests, including walking in a straight line and standing on one foot, and reportedly struggled to complete them before she was taken into custody and booked into the Dothan City Jail on suspicion of DUI.

One detail that drew immediate attention locally was when WTVY reported that Clark had her two children in the vehicle at the time of the crash, citing officials familiar with the incident. The outlet reported that the Department of Human Resources responded at the scene, and the children were allowed to leave with a family member.

WTVY also noted that having a child under 14 in the vehicle while driving under the influence is considered an aggravated circumstance under Alabama law, though the outlet reported that without injury, authorities rarely seek an enhancement.

Clark may be able to avoid prosecution if she enters a pretrial program that could keep the charge off her record, or she could fight the allegations in municipal court.

Clark’s Season 16 victory made her the fourth female champion in "Top Chef" history, but it also came during a time she’s previously described as deeply difficult as a new mom. She spent nine weeks away filming, leaving her infant son with her husband, making only a few calls home, and missing early milestones while pushing toward the bigger goal of building a better future for her family.

"He was walking, and he was not walking when I left. And I absolutely, honest to God, lost my sh-t on the phone," she admitted to PEOPLE at the time. "I was just like, 'I want to leave. This is horrible. What have I done? My child's walking!' It put me into a spiral for days."

Long before Wednesday’s arrest made headlines, Clark was sharing a much softer chapter of her life online, welcoming her second child in 2022.

Clark announced the arrival of her daughter, Evelyn “June” Clark, revealing the newborn was born at 4:03 p.m., weighing 6 lbs., 11 oz., and measuring 19.5 inches. “She arrived quickly, quietly, and sweet as can be. What a gift her life already is,” the "Top Chef" alum wrote while posting a hospital photo gallery that showed the proud parents holding their newborn.

Months earlier, Clark announced her pregnancy in an April Instagram post showing her son Monroe holding a sonogram photo and a Bible, while also sharing how she and Deavours landed on a name. “I've always been the type of person who makes decisions swiftly, and with certainty,” she wrote. “On the contrary, Deavours is the definition of analytical… However, to my complete shock, when we started discussing names it was easy.”

“We immediately agreed that we'd always choose names from family ancestry and that our first girl would carry on our grandmothers' names,” she added, noting they shared that plan with their grandmothers when they revealed the pregnancy.

She then shared a moment that stuck with her and would later make the announcement feel even more emotional. “Days later, they invited us to lunch and said they had something special to give us,” she wrote. “With proud, beaming smiles, they handed us a tiny Bible wrapped in lacy pink cloth with a short, sweet note from both of them. There was no hiding their excitement.”

“We hate they're missing out on this earthly debut, but we have a feeling they had a hand in the matter someway, somehow,” Clark added.

Years later, that sweet family moment is being revisited under far different circumstances, and amid the latest headlines, the focus has shifted to her kids' well-being. Thankfully, officials indicated the children were able to leave the scene with a family member, and there have been no reports of injuries, suggesting the kids appear to be okay following the incident.