Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence on a Los Angeles highway after he was found asleep behind the wheel.

According to the Associated Press, California Highway Patrol officers responded to an unrelated car crash involving multiple vehicles on the northbound lanes of the U.S. Highway 101 around 10:40 PM. The accident caused four of the six lanes to close.

After the lanes were reopened an hour later, officers spotted a Range Rover SUV “stopped in the road, south of the crash” with Pierce asleep at the wheel. When they “noticed signs of alcohol impairment,” the officers conducted a DUI investigation.

Pierce was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, which will be reviewed by the Los Angeles city attorney.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday (October 9), Pierce expressed his gratitude to his fans for their concern. He also said that he wasn’t drunk, just “old” and “tired.” 

“Imagine being stuck in standstill traffic for 45 mins and falling asleep 🤦🏾‍♂️ I took this picture that night because I had never been in standstill 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.”

Drafted 10th overall in the 1998 NBA Draft, Pierce spent 15 of his 19 seasons with the Celtics. A prolific scorer, “The Truth” was known for clutch performances. In the 2007-2008 season, alongside fellow All-Stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, he led the Celtics to the 2008 NBA Championship, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. A 10-time NBA All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection, Pierce's jersey number 34 was retired by the Celtics, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Most recently, Pierce was a cohost of “Speak” on Fox Sports 1, which was canceled in July 2025.