The charges were for driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit.

The 40-year-old 24 star faces at least four days in jail if found guilty, said LA city attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan.

Each charge carries a maximum jail sentence of six months and a 400 fine.

He remains on probation for a drink-driving offence in 2004 that resulted in his being put into a court-ordered alcohol treatment programme.

Mateljan said Sutherland would get at least four days in jail if found guilty because it would count as his second drink-driving conviction.

The actor is best-known for his Emmy-award winning role as Jack Bauer in the real-time drama, which is returning for its seventh season in the US in January next year. It averaged 13.5 million viewers earlier this year. Last week Sutherland was No 10 on financial magazine Forbes' list of the highestpaid celebrities between June 2006 and June 2007.