British-Canadian actor Kiefer Sutherland has been arrested in Hollywood after allegedly assaulting a ride-share driver and making criminal threats during an incident that police say unfolded in the early hours of the morning.

According to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department, Sutherland entered a ride-share vehicle in Hollywood and then “physically assaulted the driver (the victim), and made criminal threats.” Police said the driver was not injured, but the nature of the allegations was serious enough to result in Sutherland’s arrest on suspicion of assault and criminal threats.

Authorities said officers responded after receiving a report of a disturbance involving a passenger and a ride-share driver. When they arrived, they took Sutherland into custody. The LAPD has not publicly identified the driver, and there is no indication that the driver required medical treatment at the scene or afterward.

Law enforcement sources said Sutherland was booked and later released after posting a bond of $50,000. He is expected to appear in court, where prosecutors will decide what charges, if any, to formally file. The case is being reviewed in the context of California’s laws on assault and criminal threats, which can carry significant penalties if pursued as misdemeanors or felonies, depending on the evidence and any prior record.

Representatives for Sutherland have not issued a detailed public statement about the arrest. There has been no confirmation from his team about his version of events inside the vehicle, and it remains unclear what may have led to the confrontation between the actor and the driver. The ride-share company involved has also not been officially named, and it is not yet known whether the driver intends to pursue any civil action.

The incident adds a new entry to a public record that already includes a high-profile arrest for driving under the influence. In 2007, Sutherland was arrested in Los Angeles after failing a field sobriety test. He later pleaded no contest to a DUI charge and was sentenced to 48 days in jail, a term he served in county custody while continuing to work on his television series.

In a later interview, Sutherland spoke candidly about that experience, describing the conditions in county jail as harsh and disorienting. “This isn’t like prison, this is kind of a warehouse,” he said, reflecting on the time he spent behind bars. “In a way, prison is a refined experience compared to county jail.” His comments underscored how that earlier arrest had left a lasting impression on him, both personally and professionally.

The new allegations arrive at a moment when Sutherland’s public image has long been intertwined with intense, often volatile characters. After early success in films such as The Lost Boys, Young Guns, and Flatliners, he became a global television star in the early 2000s with the real-time action series 24. His portrayal of counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer, a man constantly under pressure and frequently resorting to violence, earned him both an Emmy and a Golden Globe and helped redefine the modern TV antihero.

24 ran for eight seasons between 2001 and 2010, with a limited revival in 2014. The show’s relentless pace and Sutherland’s performance turned him into one of the most recognizable faces on television. The role also cemented his reputation as an actor capable of conveying barely contained rage and moral conflict, traits that have sometimes colored public perceptions of his off-screen persona.

In the years after 24, Sutherland shifted into a different kind of leadership role on screen, starring in the political thriller Designated Survivor. In that series, he played Tom Kirkman, a low-level cabinet member suddenly elevated to the presidency after a catastrophic attack on the U.S. Capitol. The show, which ran for three seasons, allowed Sutherland to explore a more measured, introspective character, contrasting sharply with the explosive Jack Bauer.

Beyond his television work, Sutherland has continued to appear in films and has also pursued a parallel career in music, touring and recording as a country-influenced singer-songwriter. His creative output has often been framed against a personal history that includes both Hollywood privilege and public missteps.

Sutherland is the son of acclaimed actor Donald Sutherland, a towering figure in cinema whose career spanned decades and included roles in films such as MASH, Klute, Don’t Look Now, Ordinary People, and The Hunger Games series. The elder Sutherland’s death at the age of 88 marked the end of an era for one of the industry’s most respected character actors. For Kiefer Sutherland, that legacy has long been both a source of pride and a point of comparison, as he has worked to carve out his own distinct path in film and television.

The latest arrest will likely prompt renewed scrutiny of Sutherland’s off-screen behavior, particularly given the heightened attention on how public figures interact with service workers.