On Tuesday, Paul Pierce reached an agreement with Los Angeles prosecutors, bringing an end to his DUI case, as revealed by court documents reviewed by The California Post.
The former Boston Celtics star entered a plea of nolo contendere to a misdemeanor charge of wet reckless driving. As a result, he received a sentence of 12 months probation.
In addition to probation, Pierce was fined $375 and required to attend several educational courses, including a MADD Victim Impact Program, according to the court documents.
Before this plea deal was reached, Pierce was facing more serious charges. Authorities had accused him of driving under the influence and operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .08% or higher, after allegedly discovering him asleep and intoxicated in an SUV on a busy Los Angeles highway on October 7, 2025.
Following Pierce’s plea, both of these charges have been dismissed, as per the court records.
Pierce — an Inglewood native — was accused by the California Highway Patrol of passing out in his ride after officers closed down a portion of the 101 freeway to attend to a multi-car crash.
When lanes reopened, they alleged found Pierce knocked out in the driver’s seat and “noted signs of alcohol impairment” during an ensuing investigation.
Pierce, 48, was ultimately arrested, though in a statement he posted on Threads days after the incident, he said he merely fell asleep while waiting for traffic to clear.
“Imagine being stuck in stand still traffic for 45 mins and falling asleep 🤦🏾♂️ I took this picture that night because I never been in stand still traffic for this long,” Pierce posted Thursday to Threads. “I’m old, I’m tired, and I fell asleep 🤷🏾♂️I’m good y’all thanks for the love.”
Messages seeking comment from Pierce’s attorney as well as the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office on Tuesday afternoon were not immediately returned.