Diesel Brothers’ star David Sparks arrested, judge finds him in contempt over lawsuit
David Sparks, a content creator known for starring on Discovery Channel’s “Diesel Brothers,” has been arrested after a judge found him in contempt for not complying with court orders.
According to court filings, a judge in the U.S. District Court for Utah ordered Sparks in contempt on Oct. 2 for repeatedly violating orders issued in a lawsuit about his alleged violations of the Clean Air Act, a federal air pollution law.
Sparks was arrested on Oct. 7 and is being held in a Salt Lake County jail, according to inmate records and an Oct. 7 court filing.
Known as “Heavy D,” Sparks and his friend, David “Diesel Dave” Kiley, are known for customizing and selling diesel trucks as shown on their Discovery Channel show, which aired from 2016 to 2022. Sparks showcases his life on Instagram and YouTube, where he has a combined more than 8 million followers.
Cole Cannon, Sparks’ attorney, said in a statement to USA TODAY that his client “looks forward to his timely release and resolution of this matter.”
“Mr. Sparks was not arrested for a crime. In fact, no crime has been alleged or charged. The arrest stems from a civil matter regarding some zealous environmentalists seeking collection of attorney’s fees,” the statement said.
Sparks was arrested after a judge ordered him in contempt for “repeatedly and willfully” violating court orders over the course of litigation in a lawsuit that began in 2017.
‘Diesel Brothers’ star David Sparks arrested, judge finds him in contempt over lawsuit
David Sparks, a content creator known for starring on Discovery Channel’s “Diesel Brothers,” has been arrested after a judge found him in contempt for not complying with court orders.
According to court filings, a judge in the U.S. District Court for Utah ordered Sparks in contempt on Oct. 2 for repeatedly violating orders issued in a lawsuit about his alleged violations of the Clean Air Act, a federal air pollution law.
Sparks was arrested on Oct. 7 and is being held in a Salt Lake County jail, according to inmate records and an Oct. 7 court filing.
Known as “Heavy D,” Sparks and his friend, David “Diesel Dave” Kiley, are known for customizing and selling diesel trucks as shown on their Discovery Channel show, which aired from 2016 to 2022. Sparks showcases his life on Instagram and YouTube, where he has a combined more than 8 million followers.
Cole Cannon, Sparks’ attorney, said in a statement to USA TODAY that his client “looks forward to his timely release and resolution of this matter.”
“Mr. Sparks was not arrested for a crime. In fact, no crime has been alleged or charged. The arrest stems from a civil matter regarding some zealous environmentalists seeking collection of attorney’s fees,” the statement said.
Why was David Sparks arrested?
Sparks was arrested after a judge ordered him in contempt for “repeatedly and willfully” violating court orders over the course of litigation in a lawsuit that began in 2017.
“The court has exhausted all means short of incarceration to obtain Defendant Sparks’s compliance and therefore must order the U.S. Marshal to take him into custody until he complies,” District Judge Robert Shelby wrote in an Oct. 2 order.
According to the filing, the court twice previously found Sparks in contempt for not complying with orders.
Both times, Sparks was not arrested; after the first contempt order in June 2024, a judge issued an enforcement order in January 2025 that, in part, prohibited him from moving any personal property unless allowed by the court.
