Actor Tom Sizemore arrives at the HBO post-Emmy Awards party in West Hollywood, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2006.[AP]

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Tom Sizemore, on probation for a drug rap, was arrested Tuesday for investigation of possessing methamphetamine as he sat in a car outside a Bakersfield hotel.

The 45-year-old actor, of Calabasas, was arrested after drugs were found in his car outside the Four Points Sheraton hotel, said police Detective Greg Terry.

Officers were called to the hotel at about 7:30 a.m. by a report that a man had challenged an employee to fight while trying to check in, Terry said.

The man, believed to be an associate of Sizemore's, had gotten into a dispute over whether he had a reservation, the detective said.

Jason Salcido, 33, of Whittier, was found to be on parole, and officers found he was carrying a "narcotic smoking pipe," Terry said.

Officers learned that he and Sizemore were together and saw Sizemore sitting in a 2004 Ford Mustang in the hotel parking lot.

"He displayed symptoms of being under the influence," Terry said.

A search of the car turned up two bags of suspected methamphetamine and "some additional narcotics smoking pipes," Terry said.

Sizemore was arrested and booked at the Kern County Jail for investigation of possession of methamphetamine, being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of narcotic paraphernalia, the detective said.

Calls to representatives of Sizemore, who appeared in the movies "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down," weren't immediately returned.

The actor was convicted of methamphetamine possession in October 2004.

His probation was revoked the next year after he acknowledged using a prosthetic device to fake a drug test and failing to be checked for drugs every three days.

Probation was later reinstated but Sizemore faced another parole revocation and prison time after testing positive for drug use in January 2006.

After tearfully acknowledging he used drugs, he was given three years' probation and ordered to submit to weekly drug tests.

The actor also was convicted in 2003 of domestic violence involving former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss, an ex-girlfriend. He had been free on bail pending an appeal in that case.

Salcido was booked for investigation of possession of methamphetamine, possession of narcotic paraphernalia, being under the influence of a controlled substance, parole violation and disturbing the peace by challenging to fight, Terry said.

Police couldn't immediately say what Salcido was on parole for. It also wasn't known whether he had retained an attorney.