When an Uber ride goes wrong, it’s usually a one-star review and maybe a complaint to customer service. When it involves a major Hollywood actor, it becomes a lawsuit that plays out across tabloid headlines. Kiefer Sutherland is now in exactly that position, and his legal team isn’t backing down.
The incident dates back to January, when the 59-year-old actor was detained by LAPD officers near Sunset Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue after what police described as a physical assault involving a ride-share driver. Now, six months later, driver Rafael Manvelyan has filed suit against Sutherland, accusing him of assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence. The allegations paint a troubling picture: a dispute over being let out of an Uber Black ride that allegedly escalated into threats of violence and physical altercation, with Manvelyan claiming Sutherland punched him with closed fists and applied a choke hold.
But Sutherland’s camp is telling a different story. In a statement to Us Weekly on Friday, June 12, his spokesperson characterized the actor as the actual victim in the scenario. According to the statement, Sutherland was the passenger in an Uber when the driver refused to stop the vehicle despite repeated requests to do so. The spokesperson then leveled a serious counter-accusation: that Manvelyan has spent the past six months embellishing and exaggerating his claims of distress and injury, specifically after learning of Sutherland’s celebrity status and potential ability to pay. The implication is clear—this is about a payday, not justice.
The lawsuit details a communication breakdown that may have played a role in the escalation. Manvelyan primarily speaks Russian and Armenian, and the complaint suggests this language barrier contributed to the conflict. The driver alleges that Sutherland grew increasingly hostile, made threats to kill him, and that when Manvelyan ran away, Sutherland chased him while screaming the same threat. Manvelyan claims he suffered injuries to his head, face, neck, cervical spine, right shoulder, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, nervous system, and psychological injuries. He’s seeking unspecified damages, and his legal team notes he’s dealing with ongoing anxiety, fear, nightmares, emotional trauma, and sleep disturbance.
The broader context matters here. Sutherland has had multiple brushes with the law over the decades—DUI arrests in 1989, 2004, and 2007 that resulted in community service and jail time. This new incident fits an unfortunate pattern for an actor best known for his role as Jack Bauer in the television series 24. And the timing could hardly be worse: just weeks before this lawsuit made headlines, Sutherland canceled the U.S. leg of his Love Will Bring You Home concert tour due to disappointing ticket sales. A legal battle over an alleged violent incident isn’t the kind of publicity that helps rebuild a career or public image.
What unfolds next will hinge on evidence—particularly that dashcam footage Manvelyan’s Uber vehicle allegedly captured. Both sides claim the narrative is distorted. One version frames a passenger defending himself in a dangerous situation; the other describes a driver being victimized by a volatile celebrity who thought he could throw his weight around. The truth, as always, likely exists somewhere in between—but only a courtroom, discovery process, or settlement negotiation will reveal which side has the stronger case.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
