Fifteen-time main champion Tiger Woods was arrested on suspicion of DUI on Friday after he was concerned in a automotive crash not removed from his dwelling on Jupiter Island in Florida, in response to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek.
The sheriff mentioned Woods was driving a Land Rover northbound on South Seaside Highway at a excessive pace when he tried to move a truck hauling a stress cleaner, which had slowed to show right into a driveway.
Woods’ SUV swerved to keep away from the truck however clipped the again of the trailer. The Land Rover flipped on its facet and slid down the highway. Woods climbed out of the passenger’s window to get out, Budensiek mentioned.
Budensiek mentioned Woods and the opposite driver weren’t injured. The accident occurred round 2 p.m. ET.
Woods, 50, was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI with property injury and refusal to undergo a lawful check. He arrived on the jail at 3 p.m. and was launched on bail later Friday, in response to Christine Weiss, a spokesperson for the Martin County Sheriff’s Workplace. Florida legislation required that he spend no less than eight hours in jail earlier than he might publish bail.
Martin County Sheriff’s Workplace DUI investigators on the scene decided that Woods had proven indicators of impairment.
“They did a number of assessments on him,” Budensiek mentioned. “After all, he did clarify the accidents and the surgical procedures that he had. We did take that into consideration, however they did do some in-depth roadside assessments.”
The investigators arrested Woods and transported him to the Martin County Jail. The sheriff mentioned Woods’ breathalyzer check did not present indicators of alcohol. Woods refused to undergo a urinalysis check for different medication, in response to the sheriff.
“He’s cooperative, however he was not attempting to incriminate himself,” Budensiek mentioned. “So he was cautious in what he mentioned and did not say.”
DUI investigators believed on the scene that Woods wasn’t impaired by alcohol. Budensiek mentioned investigators believed Woods had used a medicine or drug and that no medicines or medication have been present in his SUV.
The sheriff did not know the way quick Woods was driving.
“However I can let you know this: It is a 30 mph pace restrict,” Budensiek mentioned. “And after I present you the images, they sort of converse for themselves.
“You possibly can see the place he clipped the again of the trailer. You possibly can see the place he rolled. After which as he decelerates, sliding down on the driving force’s door of the car. You possibly can see that he slid for a reasonably respectable house earlier than he got here to a cease.”
In response to Budensiek, the end result may need been completely different if one other car had been touring southbound on the time of the crash.
“We’d not be having a dialog saying there was no accidents,” he mentioned.
President Donald Trump, who mentioned he’s a “shut pal” to Woods, reacted to the information, telling reporters throughout a gaggle in Miami on Friday, “I really feel so badly. He is acquired some issue. There was an accident, and that is all I do know. Very shut pal of mine.
“He is an incredible particular person, wonderful man. However some issue,” he added, in response to ABC Information.
It is not the primary time Woods has been suspected of DUI. In Might 2017, he was arrested in Jupiter after police discovered him asleep on the wheel in his operating automotive, which had two flat tires and injury on the entrance and rear bumpers.
Woods mentioned he had taken a foul mixture of painkillers. He later pleaded responsible to reckless driving.
In February 2021, Woods suffered vital leg accidents in a one-car crash exterior of Los Angeles by which his SUV rolled a number of instances and left him trapped inside. He later had surgical procedure to take care of “open fractures” to his decrease proper leg, had a rod positioned in a tibia and had screws and pins inserted in his foot and ankle throughout emergency surgical procedure. Woods was hospitalized for 3 weeks following the surgical procedure.
Woods’ car had been touring between 84 and 87 mph in an space with a forty five mph pace restrict, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva mentioned on the time.
On the 2021 Hero World Problem within the Bahamas, Woods mentioned, “I am fortunate to be alive and now have a limb.” He mentioned it was 50-50 as as to whether a part of his proper leg might have been amputated.
He had no less than another surgical procedure associated to accidents from the crash in April 2023.
Woods had spent the previous a number of months recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon and one other again surgical procedure in October. He competed for the primary time in additional than a yr throughout Tuesday’s TGL finals, the place his Jupiter Hyperlinks GC staff misplaced to the Los Angeles Golf Membership.
He had been weighing whether or not to return to the PGA Tour on the Masters at Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership, the primary main of the season, which begins April 9.
Woods final competed on the PGA Tour in July 2024 when he missed the minimize on the Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Membership in Scotland. He final performed 4 rounds in a PGA Tour occasion on the 2024 Masters.
Whereas Woods has been sidelined from competitors for a lot of the previous six years, he has been closely concerned in shaping the way forward for the PGA Tour as chairman of the longer term competitors committee. He’s additionally a participant director on the PGA Tour coverage board and PGA Tour Enterprises, the tour’s for-profit entity.
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.
