Former “Home Improvement” star Jonathan Taylor Thomas could soon face criminal charges following a late-night traffic stop that ended with allegations he kicked a sheriff’s deputy in the stomach.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Thursday that the case involving the 45-year-old former child star has now been submitted for review. Prosecutors have not announced whether charges will ultimately be filed.
According to NBC Los Angeles, law enforcement submitted the case for possible charges including public intoxication and felony battery on a peace officer.
The incident happened shortly after midnight on Sept. 21 in Westlake Village, California.
Thomas, whose legal name is Jonathan Taylor Weiss, was not driving. He was a passenger in a vehicle that deputies encountered stopped at an intersection while the traffic signal was green, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies said the driver appeared intoxicated and began conducting a DUI investigation.
Authorities allege Thomas then began repeatedly getting out of the vehicle despite being told to remain inside.
The sheriff’s department said Thomas appeared intoxicated and continued approaching deputies while they were administering field sobriety tests to the driver, allegedly distracting them from the investigation. ABC7 Los Angeles
Deputies eventually attempted to detain Thomas for suspected obstruction and public intoxication. That is when authorities say the encounter turned physical.
According to the sheriff’s department, Thomas allegedly kicked one of the deputies in the stomach as officers tried to take him into custody.
He was then taken to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and booked.
Thomas spent more than 34 hours in custody before being released. Records later classified the incident as a detention rather than an arrest, according to reports.
The driver of the vehicle, who has not been publicly identified, was separately arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
No criminal case has yet been filed against Thomas.
That distinction is important because the allegations remain unproven, and prosecutors must now decide whether the available evidence supports formal charges.
The situation has once again placed Thomas in the spotlight after years of living largely outside Hollywood.
Thomas became one of the most recognizable child stars of the 1990s while playing Randy Taylor, the middle son of Tim Allen’s character on ABC’s “Home Improvement.” The sitcom ran from 1991 until 1999.
He also voiced young Simba in Disney’s 1994 animated blockbuster “The Lion King” and appeared in movies including “Tom and Huck,” “The Adventures of Pinocchio” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
Thomas later stepped away from his teen-idol career and made only occasional returns to acting, including appearances alongside Allen on “Last Man Standing.”
He has rarely been seen publicly in recent years.
That changed in July when former “Home Improvement” co-star Patricia Richardson shared a photo with Thomas and fellow former cast member Taran Noah Smith, giving longtime fans a rare look at the former teen heartthrob.
Now, just weeks later, Thomas is facing the possibility of a much more serious return to the public eye.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has not said how long its review may take, and no court date has been announced.