…until Thomas himself began repeatedly stepping out of the vehicle despite being told to stay inside, according to deputies, pulling their attention away from the driver and turning a routine stop into a lengthy detention that eventually led to his own arrest and more than a day in custody.
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Thomas occasionally returned to Hollywood on his own terms, including both acting in and directing episodes of Tim Allen’s “Last Man Standing” years after leaving weekly television behind. | Source: Getty Images
A Late-Night Traffic Stop Takes an Unexpected Turn
Deputies first approached the vehicle at 12:30 a.m. after noticing it blocking traffic, and their initial DUI investigation was focused entirely on the driver.
At that point, Thomas was simply the passenger. The situation could have ended there, with attention remaining on the driver, who was ultimately arrested on suspicion of DUI.
From Passenger to the Center of the Investigation
Despite being told to stay inside, Thomas kept leaving his seat and approaching deputies, further pulling their attention from the driver they were investigating.
Authorities said Thomas appeared intoxicated and failed to follow their instructions. As officials later described it, “He was uncooperative with them, failed to follow orders, and obstructed the investigation, so he was arrested for obstruction, and he was arrested for drunk in public.”
As deputies moved to detain him, the encounter allegedly turned physical. Thomas is accused of kicking one of the deputies in the stomach during the struggle, according to the account of what happened that night.
Booking, Detention, and Release
Jail records placed Thomas’s detention at 12:32 a.m., just minutes after deputies first approached the car. He was booked at 1:50 a.m. at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station on Monday, Sept. 21.
hile still appearing every week as Randy Taylor, Thomas voiced young Simba in Disney’s 1994 blockbuster “The Lion King,” giving him 2 defining roles before he was even an adult. | Source: Getty Images
He did not leave shortly after. Thomas remained in custody for more than 34 hours before being released Tuesday afternoon.
By the time he walked out, no formal criminal complaint had been filed against him despite the allegations of obstruction, public intoxication, and the alleged kick. Officials also reclassified the incident as a detention rather than an arrest, shifting how the encounter would be officially recorded.
Where the Case Stands Now
As of Sept. 24, no charges had been filed against Thomas. The case was expected to be presented to county prosecutors, leaving the final decision on whether to pursue any of the allegations still pending.
Detectives asked anyone who witnessed the altercation or had relevant information to come forward. The investigation remained open even after Thomas’s release and the reclassification of the incident.
The timing added an unusual contrast to the story. Only weeks earlier, over the summer, Thomas had appeared in a rare reunion photo with Patricia Richardson and Taran Noah Smith, his former Home Improvement co-stars, in a moment defined by nostalgia rather than controversy.
For now, the legal outcome remains undecided. Thomas is out of custody, the case has not been formally charged, and whether prosecutors move forward is still an open question.