Jonathan Taylor Thomas is a name that instantly sends nineties kids back to the couch on Tuesday nights. He played Randy Taylor on “Home Improvement,” then famously stepped away from acting to live a quieter life. On Monday, his name surfaced in a very different context. He was arrested in Malibu after a traffic stop on Westlake Boulevard.
The details, per the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department: deputies pulled over a car to investigate the driver for DUI. Thomas, 45, was a passenger. He became uncooperative and failed to follow orders, according to deputies. He was arrested for obstruction and public intoxication, then booked on suspicion of felony obstruction and resisting an executive officer. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Thomas was released from custody on Tuesday.
So what do you take from a story like this? Whether you live here on the Suncoast or you’re just passing through, the rule for passengers is the same everywhere. Stay calm, keep your hands visible, answer what you’re asked, and let the stop play out. You can dispute a stop later through the proper channels. Court is the place for that, not the shoulder of the road. It’s the same coaching we’d give anyone before a long drive, whether you’re headed to a spring training game in March or just crossing the Skyway.
What would you tell a friend riding with a driver who gets pulled over? Sound off in the comments.
