Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce arrested for DUI after being found asleep in his car on 101 Freeway
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MIAMI, FL - JUNE 05: Paul Pierce #34 and Marquis Daniels #4 of the Boston Celtics celebrate after Pierce made a 3-point basket in the final minute of the fourt quarter to give the Celtics a 90-86 lead against the Miami Heat in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on June 5, 2012 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)Paul Pierce, a former NBA star, was arrested by officials on October 7, 2025, for falling asleep in the middle of a busy 101 freeway in the San Fernando Valley. According to reports from the California Highway Patrol, the lanes on the highway had been closed earlier, and upon the reopening, a sleeping Pierce was discovered.
Some police officers noted that Pierce appeared to be drunk, and conducted a DUI investigation.
A section of the police statement reads:
"Pierce was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, a violation of California Vehicle Code 23152(a), and taken to the CHP Central Los Angeles Area office."
Highway Patrol officers were called to US Highway 101 after a car crash involving multiple vehicles on the northbound lanes.
When the lanes were reopened, officials spotted Pierce’s Range Rover parked in the middle of the road. After investigating, they charged him with a misdemeanor that the LA City Attorney will review.
More details on Paul Pierce, a former NBA player who was arrested on DUI charges
Paul Pierce played for the Boston Celtics for 15 seasons and played for the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and LA Clippers before his retirement in 2017. He is a 10-time All-Star player and the MVP of the 2008 NBA Finals.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. The celebrated basket baller earned the Nickname The Truth after he played for the Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001.
Even though he lost, he scored an impressive 42 points for his team, prompting Shaquille O’Neal, a rival player, to call him The Truth.
The 47-year-old sportsman and show host recalled the incident when he appeared on Keyshawn Johnson’s All Facts No Brakes podcast in July 2025, stating:
"So now I'm getting phone calls, people calling me ‘The Truth. From that point on, it just stuck. It gave me confidence after that, like, ‘Shaq gave me the nickname, I gotta roll with it.'"
The basketball legend also spoke on the current crop of players in the NBA, adding that current Celtics star player Jayson Tatum reminded him of himself and predicted that the Boston team will win an NBA trophy in 2025:
"They've got to. They've got the best record in the league. I think Tatum is in the MVP conversation. We're the deepest team in the league. I mean, this has got to be the year. … I do believe the Celtics are going to win it all this year."
Pierce’s talk show, Speak, which he co-hosted alongside Joy Taylor and Keyshawn Johnson on Fox Sports, was canceled in July 2025.
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