Paul Pierce found asleep in car, arrested for alleged DUI

LOS ANGELES – Former NBA player Paul Pierce was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence on a Los Angeles freeway after he was found asleep behind the wheel, state police said.

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California Highway Patrol officers responded at approximately 10:40 p.m. to an unrelated multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101, closing four of six lanes for the investigation, the agency said in a news release.

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When they reopened the lane about an hour later, they saw a Range Rover SUV stopped on the road south of the accident scene. Officers saw Pierce asleep at the wheel and “noticed signs of intoxication,” so they conducted a DUI investigation, the press release said.

He was arrested on drunk driving charges, which will be handled by the Los Angeles City Attorney.

Pierce did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment, and additional contact information for him could not immediately be found.

Pierce played for the Boston Celtics for 15 seasons and most recently for the Los Angeles Clippers before retiring in 2017. He also played for the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards.

The 10-time All-Star and 2008 NBA Finals MVP has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Pierce most recently co-hosted Speak, a sports talk show on Fox Sports that was canceled in July 2025.