Kiefer Sutherland repeatedly asked to be let out of the Uber he was riding in around midnight on Monday, Jan. 12, and the driver refused his requests, a source close to the investigation that led to Sutherland’s arrest tells Rolling Stone.
A dispute ensued, and the driver ended up calling police, claiming he had been assaulted, the source says. When officers responded to the radio call near Sunset Blvd. and Fairfax Ave. in Hollywood, they arrested Sutherland on suspicion of making criminal threats and booked him for a felony, police said.
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According to the source, police were assisted by a language translator during the initial investigation, so the driver’s proficiency with English could end up being a factor in the case. Sutherland, 59, was released on $50,000 bail. The actor best known for playing federal agent Jack Bauer in the TV drama 24, has his first court date set for Feb. 2. If prosecutors file a felony case, Sutherland would be required to appear.
Law enforcement sources reportedly told TMZ that the Uber driver claimed Sutherland threatened to kill him if he didn’t pull over. The driver purportedly alleged Sutherland assaulted him with his hands, per the outlet.
In a statement, police said the driver “did not sustain any injuries requiring medical treatment.” Sutherland was not booked for a physical assault, only the alleged criminal threats.
The incident wasn’t Sutherland’s first brush with law enforcement. After one DUI charge in 2007, he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 48 days in jail. He later faced misdemeanor assault charges in New York for allegedly head-butting fashion designer Jack McCollough in 2009. Sutherland and McCollough issued a joint statement after the incident. “I am sorry about what happened that night and sincerely regret that Mr. McCollough was injured,” Sutherland wrote in the statement. Prosecutors dropped the case.
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