SALT LAKE CITY — Reality TV star Dave “Heavy D” Sparks, best known from Discovery Channel’s Diesel Brothers, spent two nights in the Salt Lake County Jail after being found in contempt of court for failing to pay nearly $1 million in legal fees tied to a long-running environmental lawsuit.
Now, the nonprofit that sued him — Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) — says it is facing a flood of harassment and threats from Sparks’ online followers, forcing staff and attorneys to flee their offices and homes for safety.
Years of Legal Battles
The conflict dates back to 2017, when UPHE sued Sparks and his companies — including Diesel Power Gear LLC, 4X4 Anything LLC, and Sparks Motors LLC — accusing them of tampering with truck emission systems and selling devices that allowed vehicles to “roll coal,” or emit thick black diesel smoke in violation of federal air pollution laws.
In 2019, a federal court ruled in UPHE’s favor, fining Sparks and his associates $851,446 in penalties and awarding $928,602.23 in attorney fees to UPHE. An appeals court later reduced part of the fine but upheld the legal fees.
Since then, Sparks has not paid any portion of the amount. Citing financial hardship and the death of his accountant, Sparks claimed he was unable to provide documentation of his finances. A July garage sale held at his Davis County warehouse was deemed by the court an unlawful attempt to liquidate assets.
Judge Robert Shelby, frustrated with Sparks’ ongoing defiance, issued an October 2 contempt order, writing that Sparks had “repeatedly and willfully violated this court’s orders.”
Sparks was arrested on October 7 and released two days later.
Online Backlash and Threats
Shortly after his release, Sparks posted an Instagram video — viewed by over 3.8 million followers — accusing UPHE of crossing “a line they cannot uncross” and blaming the group for his arrest. The post tagged UPHE President Dr. Brian Moench and lead attorney Reed Zars, prompting what UPHE described as a “vitriolic and vulgar” wave of messages, including thinly veiled threats of violence.
“These people officially crossed a line that they cannot uncross,” Sparks said in his video. “Sending me to jail — that’s not gonna work for me.”
UPHE said the fallout forced staff to evacuate their offices, cancel a community event, and led their attorney and his family to temporarily relocate for safety. The organization urged Sparks to remove his posts and direct his followers to stop the harassment.
In response, Sparks’ lawyer Cole Cannon defended his client, citing free speech rights:
“If the UPHE did not want this very public issue to be democratically discussed, it should not have filed the lawsuit in the first place.”
Cannon insisted Sparks had called for civil discourse in follow-up posts, but UPHE maintains his comments directly incited harassment.
Settlement Talks Underway
Both sides appeared briefly in federal court on Friday to discuss possible settlement terms. Judge Shelby declined to lift the contempt ruling but paused additional penalties while negotiations continue.
Cannon said the pause provided his client “peace of mind,” but expressed disbelief that Sparks had been jailed over unpaid legal fees.
“I find it unusual to be held in contempt for not paying a bill,” Cannon said.
UPHE clarified that any recovered funds would not compensate its staff or board members, but instead cover independent attorney fees approved by the court.
Sparks’ Response and Public Reaction
In a 30-minute YouTube video posted October 15 — which has since gained 3.5 million views — Sparks admitted his early involvement in “rolling coal” but claimed he has since changed.
“For a short time, I thought rolling coal was cool,” Sparks said. “But I love our environment — my happy place is out in the wilderness.”
Despite his remorse for past behavior, Sparks continues to refuse payment to UPHE, calling the nearly $1 million in fees “a civil dispute fueled by greed.”
The Larger Context
This high-profile case underscores the growing tension between environmental enforcement and social media influence. While the courts aim to enforce environmental accountability, Sparks’ massive online following has turned a legal dispute into a viral battle — one that has escalated beyond the courtroom.
