Former Home Improvement star Jonathan Taylor Thomas was arrested in California this week for public intoxication and obstruction after allegedly kicking a sheriff’s deputy in the stomach.
According to Entertainment Weekly, deputies were patrolling Westlake Village on Monday when they encountered a vehicle stopped at an intersection despite the traffic light above being green. After pulling alongside the car to see whether those inside needed assistance, they saw the driver appeared intoxicated and proceeded to initiate a DUI investigation.
Thomas was riding in the passenger seat and reportedly appeared intoxicated as well. As deputies administered field sobriety tests to the driver, the 45-year-old actor allegedly kept stepping out of the vehicle and interfering with the investigation.
Incident Details
A statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department shared with Entertainment Weekly noted that deputies attempted to detain him for obstruction and public intoxication, which is when he kicked one of them in the stomach. Thomas was subsequently arrested and booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station before being released the following day, while the driver was separately arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. The case is expected to be submitted to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges.
Thomas, now 45 years old, became one of the most recognizable child actors of the 1990s through his role as Randy Taylor, the middle son of Tim Allen’s character on Home Improvement. He also voiced young Simba in Disney’s 1994 animated film, The Lion King, and starred in movies like Man of the House, Wild America, and I’ll Be Home for Christmas.
Career and Recent Appearances
After largely stepping away from the film industry, he made several appearances alongside Allen on Last Man Standing, most recently in 2015. He resurfaced publicly this summer in a rare Home Improvement reunion with former co-stars Patricia Richardson and Taran Noah Smith. Richardson shared a photo of the trio in July with the caption, “My other boys.”
Earlier this year, Thomas’ Home Improvement co-star Zachery Ty Bryan was sentenced to 16 months in county jail in connection with a February 2024 DUI arrest.
In conclusion, the arrest of Jonathan Taylor Thomas serves as a reminder that even former child stars can face real-life challenges and consequences. As the case is submitted to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges, fans of Home Improvement and Thomas will be keeping a close eye on the developments in this story.
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