Actor Kiefer Sutherland was taken into custody early Monday and later released on bond after police accused him of making criminal threats during an alleged altercation with a ride-hail driver in Hollywood.
Jail records show the 59-year-old actor was booked on suspicion of criminal threats, a felony under California law, and released after posting a $50,000 bond. His first scheduled court appearance in Los Angeles Superior Court is set for Feb. 2.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the arrest stemmed from a late-night incident reported just after midnight near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, south of the Hollywood Hills. Officers responding to a call about an assault identified Sutherland as the suspect at the scene, police said.
Investigators said Sutherland had entered a ride-hail vehicle when an altercation occurred that allegedly escalated into physical contact and verbal threats directed at the driver. The driver did not require medical treatment, LAPD officials said.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not released additional details about what led to the confrontation.
The arrest also draws attention to Sutherland’s prior legal history, which includes several alcohol-related offenses. The actor pleaded no contest to a drunken driving charge in 2004 and was placed on probation. In 2007, he went to jail after a subsequent DUI arrest resulted in a probation violation.
Beyond driving-related cases, Sutherland has previously been involved in other high-profile legal incidents. In 2009, he turned himself in to New York authorities following an altercation with fashion designer Jack McCollough during a nightclub event.
Born Dec. 21, 1966, in London, Sutherland holds dual British and Canadian citizenship and has worked in film and television since the early 1980s. His breakthrough roles included 1986’s “Stand by Me” and 1987’s cult classic “The Lost Boys,” which helped establish him as a rising Hollywood actor.
He later achieved widespread acclaim starring as counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer in Fox’s action drama “24.” The role earned Sutherland a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and multiple Screen Actors Guild nominations, and it became one of the most recognizable performances in modern television.
Sutherland’s career also includes roles in films such as “Young Guns,” “A Few Good Men,” as well as television projects including ABC’s “Designated Survivor.” Outside of acting, he has pursued music and other creative ventures. He is the son of the late actor Donald Sutherland.