why was dave sparks in jail

Dave Sparks, also known as "Heavy D" from the Discovery Channel's reality show Diesel Brothers, was jailed due to being found in contempt of court related to a lawsuit alleging violations of the Clean Air Act. He was accused of repeatedly failing to comply with court orders linked to a 2017 lawsuit filed by Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. The lawsuit claimed Sparks and others had altered vehicle exhaust systems to emit excessive black smoke, violating federal pollution standards. Sparks was ordered to pay over $843,000 in legal fees and fines but failed to do so, leading to multiple contempt rulings and ultimately an arrest warrant. He was arrested on October 7, 2025, and briefly held in jail before being released. He was not charged with a crime but was detained due to civil contempt for disobeying court orders, including failure to pay the owed fees and other compliance failures with environmental regulations.