Police say Xanax and possible fentanyl were found in Paul Rodriguez’s car outside an LA eatery.
Comedian and actor Paul Rodriguez has been arrested in Los Angeles after police allegedly discovered drugs in his car outside a restaurant. The 70-year-old comic was detained on Monday night in Burbank, following a welfare check on a woman who was with him at the time.
Officers told NBC4 Los Angeles that they found Xanax and what they suspected to be fentanyl inside Rodriguez’s vehicle. Both he and the woman were initially stopped after leaving the Islands restaurant in the city. Police said the woman was arrested first on suspicion of drug possession, which prompted them to search the car. Rodriguez was then taken into custody on suspicion of misdemeanour possession of narcotics.
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records, Rodriguez was booked shortly after 10 p.m. on Monday and released just after 6 a.m. on Tuesday with a citation. He has denied that the drugs belonged to him.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis marks Rodriguez’s second brush with the law in recent months. In March, he was also arrested for alleged drug possession after being pulled over during a traffic stop. At the time, he claimed the charges were racially motivated and insisted the substances found by officers were not his. The charges in that case were later dropped for lack of evidence.
Rodriguez told TMZ after the March incident that he had been asleep in the passenger seat while a female friend drove. He alleged that an officer slapped him awake and accused him of being under the influence. He maintained then, as now, that the drugs belonged to the woman and not to him. His attorney, Bobby Samini, later praised the Burbank City Attorney for dismissing the earlier charges, insisting that Rodriguez “never possessed any controlled substance.”
Despite the earlier exoneration, the latest arrest has revived scrutiny of Rodriguez’s personal life. Police say the latest search turned up drugs only after they detained his companion. The case remains under investigation, and authorities have not confirmed whether formal charges will be filed.
Rodriguez’s recent legal troubles come at a difficult time in his life. In November 2024, his longtime friend Donald Serrato died of natural causes while staying at Rodriguez’s Los Angeles home. Serrato had been preparing to relocate to Montana after selling his house in Torrance. Police ruled out foul play and drugs in that case.
The comedian also underwent major heart surgery in 2021, surviving a quadruple bypass. Those close to him have described the period since as one marked by health challenges and personal upheaval.
Rodriguez, known for decades as one of America’s most recognisable Latino comics, has yet to issue a statement following the latest arrest. His representatives have not responded to media requests for comment.
Police emphasised that the investigation is still active. If the suspected fentanyl tests positive, Rodriguez could face significantly more serious charges. For now, his arrest has been logged as misdemeanour possession.
The 70-year-old performer has long maintained his innocence regarding drug accusations. He has consistently claimed he is being unfairly targeted and insists that neither in March nor in this latest arrest were the substances his.
For fans, the news is another shocking chapter in the life of a comedian who has entertained audiences for decades but now finds himself fighting to preserve his reputation amid mounting legal troubles
