Boston Celtics
Pierce was arrested after he was found asleep behind the wheel of an SUV Tuesday, according to officials.
Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce was arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of driving under the influence Tuesday night after he was found asleep behind the wheel, authorities said.
Pierce, 47, was allegedly found sleeping in the driver’s seat of a Range Rover SUV stopped on U.S. Highway 101, California Highway Patrol said in a news release obtained by the Associated Press. Troopers had previously closed four of the highway’s six lanes while responding to an unrelated car crash around 10:40 p.m., CHP said.
They purportedly noticed Pierce’s SUV stopped in the road south of the crash upon reopening the lanes about an hour later. Officers elected to conduct a DUI investigation after they “noticed signs of alcohol impairment,” according to CHP.
Pierce was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, the Associated Press reported.
Taking to Instagram Thursday, the NBA Hall of Famer thanked fans for their concern and said he wasn’t drunk, just “old” and “tired.”
“Imagine being stuck in stand still traffic for 45 mins and falling asleep 🤦🏾♂️ I took this picture that night because I never been in stand still traffic for this long,” Pierce wrote. “I’m old, I’m tired, and I fell asleep 🤷🏾♂️I’m good y’all thanks for the love.”
Pierce spent the first 15 years of his career with the Celtics, cementing his status as the 2008 NBA Finals MVP while leading the team to its 17th title. He also played for the Brooklyn Nets, the Washington Wizards, and the Los Angeles Clippers before retiring from the NBA in 2017.
Pierce joined ESPN as an NBA analyst that year but was fired in 2021 after posting videos of himself smoking, drinking, and cavorting with scantily clad women. He now hosts “The Truth After Dark” podcast.
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