Emmy Award-winning actor Kiefer Sutherland was arrested and faces potential felony charges after an altercation with a rideshare driver in Hollywood.
NBC4 Los Angeles reported that the 59-year-old star, best known for playing Jack Bauer in 24, was arrested at around 12:15 am on Monday in response to a radio call about an assault involving a rideshare driver that took place near Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue.
Sutherland is accused of threatening and physically assaulting the driver after entering the vehicle and was arrested on suspicion of felony criminal threats. No injuries requiring medical treatment were reported. The LAPD has been contacted for comment, and representatives for Sutherland did not immediately return a request for comment.
Sutherland was released from custody on $50,000 bond, and an initial court date has been set for Feb. 2.
The star, who is also known for playing President Tom Kirkman in Designated Survivor and starring in films such as Stand By Me and The Lost Boys, is no stranger to legal trouble.
Sutherland previously served 48 days in jail following a DUI conviction in 2007; it was his fourth DUI charge in 18 years. As part of his plea deal, he remained on probation for five years, attended mandated therapy for six months, and enrolled in an 18-month alcohol education program.
He was also arrested in 2009 for headbutting fashion designer Jack McCollough, the founder of the Proenza Schouler label, in New York. Sutherland ultimately apologized, and the charges were dropped.
Sutherland told a Rolling Stone reporter in 2006 that out of all of his behaviors, drinking has caused him the most grief, owing in part to his status as a public persona.
“Because I’m a public person, I’ve embarrassed my mother and my family and, most specifically, my daughter,“ referring to Veep actress Sarah Sutherland.
“It’s been the biggest problem for me. I have a few drinks and I’m not so worried about tomorrow and not thinking about yesterday. I am in this moment and I don’t give a shit about anything else, and that’s that. It’s right out of the textbook on problem drinkers.”
In a 2016 interview, Sutherland said, “The only bad things that have ever happened to me in my life have been because I like to go to bars and have drinks with my friends.”
“I would be lying if I told you that there weren’t moments where I felt I let it get away from me.”
Despite that, he also said that he had no plans to quit drinking, explaining that he “enjoy[s] the times too much, and the memories.”
“I have, at times, for stretches of time. But at some point, I’ve made a decision, right or wrong, for myself that I would rather work really hard so I could still have some of those times. Than to just simply stop. That’s a choice I’ve made and I live with that choice.”
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