Paul Pierce was arrested late Tuesday night on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI in Los Angeles, according to a release from the California Highway Patrol.
The Celtics legend was found asleep in his SUV on the 101 Freeway at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. The police responded to a multi-vehicle crash in the area and closed off traffic. When lanes reopened, Pierce’s Range Rover was stopped in traffic south of the crash site, according to the CHP.
“When officers approached, they found the driver, later identified as Paul Pierce, asleep at the wheel,” the CHP said in a statement. “Officers noted signs of alcohol impairment and conducted a DUI investigation.”
Pierce, 47, was arrested on suspicion of DUI as the case is set to be presented to the Los Angeles city attorney’s office for review. He was cited and released, according to NBC4 in Los Angeles.
Pierce was a 10-time All-Star during his 19 seasons in the NBA after being picked No. 10 overall by the Celtics in the 1998 NBA Draft. He played the first 15 years of his career in Boston, including winning the NBA Finals MVP in 2008 in a 4-2 series win over the Lakers.
Pierce retired from the NBA in 2017 and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. He’s been active in the sports media world since his retirement and has lived in Los Angeles. Aside from podcasting with former teammate Kevin Garnett, he has also worked for ESPN and Fox Sports.
The Hall of Famer also made headlines back during the Celtics’ playoff run in May. He promised he would walk to the Fox Sports studio if the Celtics lost Game 2 to the Knicks, which happened after the C’s blew another 20-point lead. Pierce documented his journey on social media.
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