Kiefer Sutherland is once again finding his name splashed across headlines, and this time it has nothing to do with Jack Bauer saving the world in real time.
The 59-year-old actor was arrested early Monday morning in Los Angeles following an alleged altercation with a rideshare driver, according to the LAPD, and the details are already sparking plenty of conversation.
Police say officers responded shortly after midnight to a radio call describing an assault involving a rideshare driver near the busy intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. According to the police account, Sutherland allegedly entered the vehicle, assaulted the driver, and then made threats serious enough to trigger a felony charge for criminal threats. That charge typically applies when someone is accused of threatening to kill or seriously injure another person in a way that causes sustained fear.
By 4:23 a.m., Sutherland had been booked at the LAPD’s Hollywood Division. While the situation sounds intense on paper, police noted that the driver did not suffer injuries requiring medical attention at the scene. Sutherland was released later that morning at around 11:30 a.m. after posting a 50,000 dollar bond, according to sheriff’s department records. Detectives are continuing to investigate, and the actor is scheduled to appear in court on February 2.
So far, Sutherland’s representatives have not commented publicly on the incident, leaving a lot of unanswered questions about what actually unfolded inside that vehicle. NBC4 in Los Angeles was the first to report the arrest, and from there the story spread quickly, fueled by Sutherland’s long and complicated history with law enforcement.
This is not the first time the actor has faced legal trouble. In fact, it’s a familiar pattern that stretches back decades. Sutherland has previous DUI convictions from 2004 and 2007, with the latter landing him a 48-day jail sentence due to the earlier offense. In 2009, he was arrested for assault after head-butting fashion designer Jack McCollough at a New York City fundraiser. That case ultimately went away after Sutherland issued a public apology, and the charges were dropped.
Sutherland himself has spoken openly about his relationship with alcohol. In a 2016 interview, he acknowledged that while he never drank to escape problems, many of the worst moments in his life happened when he was out drinking with friends. He admitted there were times when he let things get out of hand, a reflection that now feels especially relevant given the latest allegations.
All of this comes as Sutherland continues to carry the weight of a legendary Hollywood legacy. He is the eldest son of the late Donald Sutherland, who passed away in June 2024 at the age of 88. Kiefer built his own career with iconic roles in films like Stand By Me, The Lost Boys, Young Guns, and Flatliners, before redefining himself for a new generation as Jack Bauer on 24.
More recently, he has worked with acclaimed directors like William Friedkin and Clint Eastwood, proving his staying power in an industry that rarely offers second acts.
For now, the focus shifts from red carpets and film sets to court dates and police reports. Whether this incident becomes another footnote that fades away or a more serious turning point will depend on what investigators uncover next. One thing is certain: when a Hollywood veteran with a long memory of past run-ins ends up in handcuffs again, people are going to be watching closely.
