Actor Randy Quaid arrested in Vermont at U.S.-Canada border

Reuters
A combination photo shows U.S. actor Randy Quaid (L) and his wife Evi after being arrested at the U.S. Border crossing from Canada at Highgate Port Of Entry, Vermont on October 9, 2015 in this photo released by Vermont State Police on October 10, 2015. REUTERS/Vermont State Police/Handout

(Reuters) - Actor Randy Quaid and his wife Evi were arrested on outstanding felony warrants while attempting to cross the Canadian border into the U.S. state of Vermont, police said on Saturday.

The two are being held after their arrest at the crossing along Interstate 89 at Highgate Springs late on Friday, Vermont State Police said. The Quaids face extradition hearings on the arrest warrants, which were issued in California. Bail has been set at $500,000 each.

Quaid, 65, is known for movies such as "The Last Picture Show" and "The Last Detail," for which he received an Oscar nomination. He is the older brother of actor Dennis Quaid.

It was not immediately clear why the warrants were issued, but Quaid recently said warrants were issued for him and his wife over a longstanding dispute over their Santa Barbara property. They were arrested in California in 2010 on suspicion of burglary and entering a building without consent.

Quaid said the building was their own home and that after a failed attempt to sell it, they still owned the property.

Warrants were issued for the couple's arrests when they failed to appear in court on the burglary charges, according to media reports at the time.

Quaid had sought asylum in Canada in 2010, saying that business associates sought to harm him. He later dropped the asylum application and sought permanent residency.

The actor is being held at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in Swanton, Vermont, and his wife was taken to the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington, police said.

Earlier this week, the actor and his wife were detained in Canada and threatened with deportation but later released. Quaid said the detainment was due to confusion over the property dispute.

The actor told Reuters at the time that he had been living for three years in Montreal with his wife, who has joint U.S.-Canadian citizenship, and seeking permanent residency status in Canada.

(Editing by Frank McGurty and Lisa Von Ahn)