Tiger Woods was arrested Friday on suspicion of driving below the affect after his Land Rover touring at “excessive velocity” on a residential highway clipped a truck and rolled onto its facet. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek stated Woods was in a position to crawl out of passenger facet and was not injured. “He did exemplify indicators of an impairment,” Budensiek stated, including that investigators imagine he had taken “some kind of medicine or drug.” He stated Woods agreed to a Breathalyzer take a look at that confirmed no indicators of alcohol, however refused a urine take a look at and was arrested. Underneath Florida legislation, he must spend eight hours in jail earlier than he may submit bail. Budensiek stated the sheriff’s workplace will observe the legislation no matter who has been accused of against the law. He stated Woods was being held in jail however separate from others.
“He is not going to be with different inmates that might damage him or attempt to capitalize on what he did,” he stated. “He’ll pay the value, however he is not going to pay the value by getting punished in jail.”
It was the second time Woods has been arrested for a DUI not because of the affect of alcohol. He stated he took a foul mixture of painkillers when authorities discovered him in 2017 asleep behind the wheel of his automobile, the engine nonetheless operating and its driver’s facet broken. Woods pleaded responsible then to reckless driving.
President Donald Trump, whose former daughter-in-law is relationship Tiger Woods, was requested in regards to the golfer when he landed in Miami on Friday afternoon for an funding summit.
“I really feel so badly. He is obtained some issue,” Trump stated. “Very shut pal of mine. He is a tremendous particular person. Superb man. However, some issue.”
The crash occurred simply earlier than 2 p.m. not removed from the place Woods lives on Jupiter Island.
Budensiek stated Woods tried to go a strain cleaner truck whereas driving on a two-lane highway with a 30 mph (48 kph) velocity restrict. He stated authorities couldn’t decide how briskly Woods was going.
The Land Rover swerved to keep away from a collision as he was passing the truck however clipped the again finish of the truck’s trailer, Budensiek stated. Woods’ automobile then rolled onto its driver’s facet.
The sheriff stated Woods was “cooperative, however he is not making an attempt to incriminate himself.” He stated Woods has the proper to refuse the urine take a look at and that authorities “won’t ever get definitive outcomes with what he was impaired on.”
Woods’ supervisor at Excel Sports activities didn’t instantly reply to a textual content message looking for remark.
This was the fourth time Woods has been concerned in a automobile crash, most not too long ago in February 2021 when his SUV ran off a coastal highway in Los Angeles at a excessive price of velocity, resulting in a number of leg and ankle accidents. Woods stated later medical doctors thought of amputation. He additionally beforehand sustained a number of accidents to his left knee and his again throughout his golf profession.
Woods returned from a number of again surgical procedures to win the 2019 Masters for his fifteenth main. His 82 titles on the PGA Tour is tied for the profession file with Sam Snead. Since that LA crash, he has performed 11 tournaments with out being nearer than 16 photographs to the winner the 4 instances he was in a position to end 72 holes.
Friday’s arrest comes as Woods was making an attempt to determine if he was match sufficient to play the Masters, which begins April 9. He additionally was to be in Augusta, Georgia, on April 5 to unveil a golf course undertaking with Masters chairman Fred Ridley.
Woods additionally was days away from what was described as a “gentle deadline” to determine whether or not to be the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for the 2027 matches in Eire.
Woods, 50, had been working his means again to golf from a seventh again surgical procedure in September.
His final official match was the British Open in 2024. Woods ruptured his Achilles tendon in March 2025 and that saved him off the course all season even earlier than the again surgical procedure. He managed to play in his indoor TGL golf league on Tuesday night time.
He has remained deeply concerned in PGA Tour affairs as chair of the Future Competitors Committee that’s restructuring the mannequin of the tour.
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