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The actor known for his role as Jack Bauer in the hit show 24, Kiefer Sutherland, was arrested early this morning in West Hollywood on suspicion of drunk driving. If convicted, it would make the second arrest of its kind for Sutherland. He was arrested in 2004 for the same offense and found guilty. By California state law, Sutherland would be forced to serve a mandatory five days in prison if convicted of the latest offense.

Sutherland allegedly recorded twice the legal state limit of 0.08.

But the punishment could be more severe, and potentially affect Sutherland’s television show. The judge in his 2004 case, Michael Sauer, was also the judge in Paris Hilton’s case earlier this year, which resulted in a 45-day jail term. She was convicted of driving on a suspended license, and was not drunk at the time of her arrest.

Sutherland’s 2004 DUI came with a 5-year probation, which means his latest offense might result in a jail term much longer than expected.

Fans of 24 and executives at Fox will be keeping an eye on the story as it develops.

“24’s” Jack Bauer won’t be fulfilling at least one mission.

Just a few hours after actor Kiefer Sutherland was arrested on misdemeanor drunk driving charges early this morning, Los Angeles Police Officer Sarah Faden said he would not be attending the Los Angeles Police Foundation event at which he had been scheduled to be an emcee.

Sutherland, who plays counterterrorism agent Bauer on the popular show, was pulled over about 1:30 a.m. in West Los Angeles near La Cienega and Beverly boulevards after police spotted him making an illegal U-turn, said Officer Ana Aguirre, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Aguirre said Sutherland, 40, failed a field sobriety test and a Breathalyzer, blowing over the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.08%, after which he was arrested on the misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence.

He was booked at Hollywood station and released about 4 a.m. after posting $25,000 bail, Aguirre said. Sutherland is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 16, Aguirre said.

Sutherland had been scheduled to be an emcee at the Los Angeles Police Foundation’s Eighth Annual “True Blue” fundraiser Saturday night. The event is to honor producer Brian Grazer, as well as police officers and detectives. It was described as a street party-type event at Paramount Studios.

Sutherland won a best actor Emmy last year for his performance in the Fox TV series, set to return in January.

Sutherland is scheduled today to receive an award for excellence from the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists for his contribution to Canadian actors and the industry at a tea reception at the consul general of Canada’s residence in Los Angeles. As of this morning, the event was still on, said Susan Ponting, a spokeswoman for the alliance.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Kiefer Sutherland, who stars on the hit TV thriller “24″ as a secret agent with nerves of steel, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving on Tuesday, hours before he was due to be honored by a Canadian actors’ union.

The arrest comes three years after the Canadian performer, 40, the son of actor Donald Sutherland, pleaded no contest to a charge of driving under the influence and was ordered into a treatment program for alcohol abuse.

Los Angeles police said they stopped Sutherland’s car shortly near the boundaries of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood after 1 a.m. after he was seen making an illegal U-turn.

A breath test found him to be over the legal blood-alcohol limit, and he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, a police spokeswoman said.

She said Sutherland was taken to the police station in Hollywood, where he posted $25,000 bail and was released. He is due to appear in court on October 16.

No further details were available, but the celebrity news Web site TMZ.com quoted an unnamed police source as describing Sutherland as “cooperative and mellow” while in custody.

The arrest came hours before Sutherland, who spent much of his boyhood in Toronto, was to be honored by the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) at the residence of Canada’s Consul General in Los Angeles.

An ACTRA spokeswoman said the awards ceremony would go on as planned but be closed to the media. A spokeswoman for the actor said he would attend, but she declined further comment.

In 2004, Sutherland was placed on 16 months probation, fined $500 and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service after pleading no contest, the equivalent of a guilty plea in California, to DUI, a city attorney’s spokesman said.

He filed proof of completing community service and the alcohol treatment program the following May, the spokesman said.

Sutherland last year earned an Emmy Award, U.S. television’s highest honor, for his role as the globe-trotting, terrorist-fighting agent Jack Bauer on “24,” one of Fox network’s top-rated shows.

Averaging 13.5 million viewers earlier this year, the show returns to the airwaves for its fourth season in January.

There was no official word from the network or producers of “24,” but a source close to the series said Sutherland’s arrest was not expected to affect production of the show.