Jonathan Taylor Thomas has broken his silence after his arrest in California.
The “Home Improvement” alum, 45, addressed the incident in a statement on Wednesday, his first public comments since being detained at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. Thomas was held Monday and released Tuesday on allegations of obstructing or resisting an executive officer, jail records showed.
the former child star was riding in the passenger seat when the vehicle was pulled over in Westlake Village, California. During the stop, he was reportedly “uncooperative” and acting “drunk in public.” The outlet also claimed Thomas stepped outside the vehicle despite authorities asking him to remain inside.
Thomas denied the public intoxication allegation in his statement. “I was not ‘drunk in public,'” he wrote. “I was in a car with a friend, and I was not driving.”
The actor continued, “I was asked to step out of the vehicle, and I complied. I was then asked to sit on the curb, and I complied. I was never told why I was being detained, and I was never read my rights.”
Thomas added that he was “not resisting” and was “simply asking questions.” “I was confused and concerned,” he wrote. “I have the utmost respect for law enforcement, but I was not treated with the same respect in return.”
The arrest marks a rare public moment for Thomas, who has remained reclusive for years. He was spotted walking his dogs in Los Angeles in 2021 after nearly eight years out of the public eye, and resurfaced in 2023 visiting a convenience store near his Southern California home. Earlier this year, he reunited with onscreen mother Patricia Richardson, 75, and onscreen brother Taran Noah Smith, 42, in an Instagram post shared by Richardson. “My other boys❤️,” she captioned the upload.
The incident also echoes legal troubles involving other “Home Improvement” stars. Tim Allen, 73, who co-starred with Thomas on the beloved ’90s sitcom, was arrested in 1978 for cocaine possession and pleaded guilty to felony drug trafficking. He served over two years in federal prison in Minnesota before being paroled in 1981. Allen was also arrested for alleged DUI in 1997, pleading guilty and completing probation and rehabilitation. He has maintained sobriety for decades since.
Zachery Ty Bryan, 44, who played Thomas’ onscreen brother, has faced repeated arrests. In 2020, he pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault and menacing in Oregon. Following a July 2023 domestic violence arrest, Bryan pleaded guilty, spent seven days in jail, and entered 36 months of supervised probation. He was arrested twice for alleged DUI in 2024 in Oklahoma and California, and again in 2025 on second-degree domestic violence charges. Most recently, Bryan was detained in Oregon for probation violation and in March was sentenced to 19 months in prison while serving a 16-month California jail sentence for his 2024 DUI.
Thomas’ representative did not immediately respond to the outlet’s request for comment following the arrest.
The actor’s statement emphasized his desire to move past the incident. “I am grateful that no one was hurt,” Thomas wrote. “I am looking forward to putting this behind me and continuing to focus on my personal life and my work.”
Thomas has no upcoming public appearances scheduled.