Why Was Dave Sparks of Diesel Brothers Arrested? Clean Air Act Lawsuit Explained

David Sparks (known online as 'Heavy D'), the co-host of Discovery Channel's Diesel Brothers, was arrested in earlier this month after years of legal battles tied to environmental violations finally caught up with him. What began as a civil case about diesel trucks and pollution has turned into a personal reckoning over accountability, fame, and air quality.

Sparks, known for his over-the-top personality and even bigger trucks, became a household name for turning diesel vehicles into beasts, that often disregarded environmental standards. The stunts and builds made great television — but they also drew the attention of environmental advocates. In 2016, a Utah-based nonprofit, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE), sued Sparks and his companies under the Clean Air Act, claiming his team had tampered with or removed emissions-control devices on diesel trucks before selling or promoting them online.

Guilty of Violating Clean Air Act

In court, UPHE presented evidence showing one truck the group purchased emitted 36 times more pollutants and 21 times more particulate matter than it would have if its emission system had remained intact. The case dragged on for years, and by 2020, a federal judge ruled that Sparks and his co-hosts had violated the Clean Air Act multiple times. They were fined roughly $850,000 and ordered to stop performing or advertising emissions-tampering modifications.

Sparks appealed the decision, arguing the fines were excessive and that his team had not willfully broken environmental law. In 2021, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed in part, slightly reducing the penalties but upholding the main findings. The court's language was sharp: the judges described Sparks's conduct as 'flagrant' and reaffirmed that the Clean Air Act allows citizen groups like UPHE to enforce pollution standards when regulators don't act.

Failed Payments Lead to Arrest

Despite the partial reprieve, Sparks's financial obligations remained heavy. The court ordered him to pay more than $900,000 in legal costs and fees, a sum that ballooned over time. According to court filings and People magazine, Sparks failed to make those payments, prompting a Utah judge to issue a bench warrant for his arrest.

On October 7, 2025, he was taken into custody in Salt Lake City and booked into jail. His attorney, Cole Cannon, stressed that Sparks had not been arrested for a new crime but for a civil enforcement issue. 'Mr. Sparks was not arrested for a crime', Cannon said in a statement. 'This stems from a civil matter regarding the collection of attorney's fees.'

The arrest marks a striking turn for a man who once celebrated the raw power of diesel culture on television. For environmental advocates, the case underscores how small-scale modifications can have real public-health consequences. For Sparks and his fans, it's a cautionary tale about the limits of entertainment when it collides with environmental law.

Whether he can negotiate a payment plan or find a legal remedy remains to be seen. But as Sparks faces down a warrant born from years of courtroom wrangling, one thing is clear: the 'Diesel Brother' who built his fame on roaring engines is now confronting a much quieter but far more serious challenge — making peace with the law he once defied.