24 star charged in drunk driving case

Canadian actor Kiefer Sutherland was charged Friday with misdemeanour driving under the influence and driving with a blood-alcohol level of more than .08. Sutherland is on probation for a similar conviction in 2004.

The charges are in connection with an incident last Tuesday in which the star of the TV series 24 was arrested in Los Angeles.

Police said theynoticed Sutherland's vehicle making an illegal U-turn in western Los Angeles shortly after 1 a.m. local time.

The two charges carry a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a minimum of four days, said Nick Velasquez, a spokesman for the Los Angeles district attorney's office.

"We also charged him with a second DUI offence within 10 years, which we believe also violates the terms of his probation," Velasquez added.

That could mean an additional jail sentence of up to six months.

The 40-year-old actor is free on $25,000 bail.

Sutherland is the son of actors Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, and the grandson of Tommy Douglas, the famed former Saskatchewan premier and founder of medicare.

Though most recently known for his Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning role as anti-terrorism agent Jack Bauer in the action series 24, Sutherland's many film credits include Stand By Me, The Lost Boys, Young Guns, The Sentinel and Phone Booth.