Kiefer Sutherland, once synonymous with high-stakes heroics as Jack Bauer on 24, is now facing a far more personal crisis in real life. The 59-year-old actor was arrested in Los Angeles early Monday morning, January 12, 2026, after a late-night confrontation with a rideshare driver spiraled into a felony case—fueling fresh anxiety about his future in Hollywood.
According to the LAPD, the incident unfolded shortly after midnight near the busy intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. What reportedly began as an argument over a fare quickly escalated. Police say Sutherland physically assaulted the driver and made criminal threats during the altercation.
“Our investigation determined that the suspect, identified as Kiefer Sutherland, entered a rideshare vehicle, physically assaulted the driver, and made criminal threats,” authorities said in a statement.
Sutherland was taken into custody on suspicion of felony criminal threats and later released after posting a $50,000 bond. He is expected to appear in court on February 2. The driver did not suffer serious injuries, but the arrest has cast a harsh spotlight on the actor at a particularly vulnerable moment in his career.
This marks Sutherland’s most serious legal issue since his 2020 DUI arrest and arrives as he has been openly reflecting on the difficulties of staying relevant in an industry that rarely waits for anyone. In a recent interview, the Emmy-winning actor admitted that life after 24 did not unfold the way he expected.
After spending a decade as one of television’s most reliable leading men, Sutherland confessed he assumed new roles would naturally follow. Instead, he found himself facing long stretches of uncertainty, acknowledging that he failed to plan for a future beyond the iconic character that defined his career.
Industry insiders suggest the pressure of fading opportunities has taken a visible toll. In recent years, Sutherland has reportedly accepted nearly any role that would keep him in the public eye, even if it meant risking his once-formidable reputation.
His latest film, the holiday release Tinsel Town, raised eyebrows among critics and fans alike. In the movie, Sutherland plays a washed-up action star reduced to performing in a small-town British pantomime—a role some see as an uncomfortable mirror of his real-life struggles. The film was poorly received, and one producer privately described the performance as a desperate attempt at reinvention rather than a triumphant comeback.
“He’s gone from anchoring network television to fighting for relevance in an overcrowded streaming world,” one industry source said. “There’s a real sense that he’s searching for solid ground as the years go by.”
Whether this arrest is tied to the stress of career uncertainty or simply another chapter in Sutherland’s long history of legal troubles remains unclear. What is certain is that the man who once raced against the clock to save the world on screen is now confronting a far more unforgiving countdown in real life.
As his February court date approaches, Sutherland faces a moment that could define his next act—both in court and in Hollywood.
