Golf legend Tiger Woods has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence, property damage, and refusing to submit to a urine test, following a rollover accident in Florida on Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said the accident occurred on Jupiter Island, Florida, just after 2 P.M. EST, near where Woods lives. Woods was not injured in the accident.
Video shot by WPTY shows Woods’ SUV lying on its side.
“Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said during a Friday evening news conference that it did not appear that Woods was hurt,” WPTV reports. “Budensiek said Woods complied with a breathalyzer but refused a urine test.
“Woods faces misdemeanor charges and will be held in the Martin County Jail for at least eight hours.”
The accident involved a pickup truck pulling a pressure cleaner, and a Range Rover driven by Woods. The first officers who responded to the scene suspected that the driver of the Range Rover was impaired and called for the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office concluded that the truck pulling the pressure washer was about to pull into a driveway when the accident occurred.
“The driver of that vehicle looked in his mirror and saw a (Range) Rover overtaking him at high speeds,” Sheriff Budensiek said. “He saw it coming, so he tried to edge off the side of the road, but this is a small two-lane road, and there was no shoulder … to get off the side of the road.”
The sheriff said Woods’ Range Rover “swerved to avoid a collision” but struck the back of the truck, causing it to roll over. Budensiek says Woods exited the vehicle by climbing through the passenger’s side door.
“Our DUI investigators came to the scene, and Mr. Woods did (exhibit) signs of impairment,” Budensiek said. “They did several tests on him … He was placed under arrest and taken to the Martin County Jail.”
The sheriff said Woods took and passed a breathalyzer test, but refused a urine test.
“He’s been charged with DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test,” Budensiek said.
It is the belief of investigators that Woods was impaired by “some type of medication or drug.”
“We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash,” Budensiek said.
The driver of the truck was not hurt in the crash.
President Trump, who is friends with Woods and whose former daughter-in-law, Vanessa, is currently dating the golf star, also shared his thoughts and concerns.
“I feel so badly…really close friend of mine, amazing person, amazing man. He’s got some difficulty. Pray for Tiger Woods!”
Woods has had past incidents with both motor vehicle accidents and driving under the influence. In 2021, his career was nearly ended after a crash in California left him with severe leg injuries.
In 2017, he was arrested in Palm Beach County, Florida, on suspicion of driving under the influence. Woods entered a guilty plea to the charge of reckless driving and paid a $250 fine in addition to attending DUI classes.
