Jonathan Taylor Thomas, known for playing the middle child on the TV series "Home Improvement" that starred Michigan native Tim Allen, was arrested earlier this week in Westlake Village, California.
The incident stemmed from an investigation of a suspected DUI for the driver of a car in which Thomas was a passenger, the a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told USA TODAY in a Sept. 23 statement. Police said Thomas disrupted them as they conducted a traffic stop and performed field sobriety tests on the driver.
The 45-year-old former child star was arrested and booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station on charges of obstruction and public intoxication early on Sept. 21. Police records show Thomas was detained for nearly
36 hours.
The driver of the vehicle was also arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The case will be sent to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration, per the sheriff's department.
USA TODAY reached out to Thomas for comment.
Here's what to know about Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
Was Jonathan Taylor Thomas arrested?
Jonathan Taylor Thomas was arrested early on Sept. 21 in Westlake Village, California, and booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station on charges of obstruction and public intoxication, per the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Thomas was detained for nearly 36 hours, per jail records.
He had been the passenger in a vehicle whose driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. According to the department, deputies initially saw the vehicle stopped at a green light blocking traffic at an intersection and "noticed the driver was acting odd and appeared to be intoxicated."
Authorities later conducted a traffic stop and performed field sobriety tests on the driver, the statement added.
During that time, Thomas, the passenger, "appeared intoxicated, continually exited the vehicle and approached the deputies, distracting them from their investigation," the statement said. "Deputies attempted to detain [Thomas] for obstruction and public intoxication, at which point, [Thomas] kicked a deputy in the stomach."
The sheriff's department said the case will be sent to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration.
Who is Jonathan Taylor Thomas?
Jonathan Taylor Thomas, born Jonathan Taylor Weiss in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is a former child actor known for playing Randy, the middle child on the comedy television series "Home Improvement." The show starred award-winning actor Tim Allen, who was raised in metro Detroit and graduated from Western Michigan University.
Thomas appeared in more than 170 episodes of "Home Improvement" from 1991 until leaving in 1998 to focus on school. He returned briefly in the show's eighth and final season.
He returned to Hollywood in the 2000s, appearing in the television series "Smallville," "8 Simple Rules," and "Veronica Mars." In the early 2010s, he reunited with Allen in the series "Last Man Standing."
USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Home Improvement' actor arrested. What Jonathan Taylor Thomas did
