The Jonathan Taylor Thomas arrest followed a late-night traffic stop in Westlake Village, where authorities say the former child star repeatedly interfered with a DUI investigation before allegedly kicking a deputy in the stomach.

Thomas, 45, was travelling as a passenger when Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies encountered the vehicle shortly after midnight on Monday, September 21. He was not accused of driving, but police say he became increasingly involved while they investigated the person who was.

Why did deputies stop the vehicle?

According to a department statement provided to People, deputies noticed the vehicle sitting at an intersection even though the traffic light was green. It was allegedly blocking other motorists, so officers pulled alongside to see whether the driver needed help.

Deputies said the driver was “acting odd and appeared to be intoxicated.” They then conducted a traffic stop and began an investigation on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

While the driver completed field sobriety tests, Thomas allegedly kept leaving the vehicle and approaching the deputies. Authorities said he also appeared intoxicated and repeatedly distracted officers from their work, which is rarely considered helpful during a roadside sobriety test.

Deputies instructed Thomas to remain inside the vehicle, but he allegedly failed to comply. The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station previously described him as “uncooperative” and said he obstructed the investigation.

“Deputies told him to sit back down in the vehicle,” the station said. “He was uncooperative with them, failed to follow orders, and obstructed the investigation.”

What allegedly happened during the detention?

Authorities said deputies attempted to detain Thomas on suspicion of obstruction and public intoxication after he continued approaching them. During that process, he allegedly “kicked a deputy in the stomach.”

Thomas was taken to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and booked into jail. Records reportedly show that he was arrested at about 12.32am and booked at 1.50am. He remained in custody for more than 34 hours before his release.

His arrest was later legally reclassified as a detention. The distinction affects how the encounter appears in official records, but it does not erase the allegations or prevent prosecutors from considering the case.

The unidentified driver was separately arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Officials are expected to submit the case involving Thomas to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. As of Wednesday, September 23, the office said it had not yet received the file.

No charging decision had been announced at the time of publication. Thomas’s representatives were contacted for comment, but no response was reported.

Where has Jonathan Taylor Thomas been recently?

Thomas became one of the most recognisable young television actors of the 1990s through his role as Randy Taylor on the sitcom Home Improvement. He played the middle son of Tim Allen’s character, Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, from 1991 until 1998.

He also voiced young Simba in Disney’s 1994 animated film The Lion King, adding another major childhood credit before most people his age had completed secondary school.

Despite that early fame, Thomas largely withdrew from Hollywood and public life as an adult. His acting appearances became infrequent, and photographers rarely spotted him in public. One of his few widely circulated appearances came in 2021, when he was photographed walking his dogs.

Earlier in summer 2026, he joined former Home Improvement co-stars Patricia Richardson and Taran Noah Smith for a reunion. Richardson, who played his on-screen mother, shared a photograph of the trio in July with the caption: “My other boys❤️.”

The reunion offered a rare glimpse of Thomas after years away from the spotlight. His latest return to public attention arrived under rather less nostalgic circumstances.