Tiger Woods had another run-in with the law after being involved in a terrifying rollover crash in Jupiter Island, Fla.
The golf legend was swept into a two-car crash while driving his Land Rover “just after 1 p.m.” on March 27, according to Martin County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page. Meanwhile, local NBC affiliate WPTV reported that the Sheriff’s Office estimated the crash occurred shortly after 2 p.m. local time near 281 Beach Road.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek confirmed the Jupiter Island Police Department received a call about the accident “about two and a half miles from where we are.”
“The Jupiter Island Police Department responded out there and found a pickup truck pulling a pressure cleaner trailer and a Land Rover which was rolled over on the driver’s door,” he stated during a press conference.
“The driver of [the pickup truck] looked in his mirror and saw a dark colored Land Rover overtaking him at high speeds,” he continued. “He tried to edge off to the side of the road, but this is a small two-lane road and there was no shoulder for this pressure cleaner gentleman to get off the side of the road. As he was trying to move to the side of the road, the Land Rover overtook him at the last minute, swerved to avoid a collision, but clipped the back end of the trailer.”
Both Woods and the other driver were uninjured, the sheriff confirmed.
Budensiek also disclosed the 50-year-old golfer was “alone in the car” at the time of the accident. Woods reportedly said he was “not sure” whether he was wearing a seatbelt, though he was able to crawl out through the passenger’s side window.
A photo shared by WPTV showed the Land Rover flipped onto its side, while other images revealed it was completely overturned on the roadside with visible damage.
According to Budensiek, DUI investigators “came to the scene” as authorities believed Woods might be impaired.
“They did several tests. He did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account,” he said at the press conference.
Police “really weren’t suspicious of alcohol” after Woods recorded a 0.00 on a breathalyzer test. However, he refused when they asked for a urinalysis test.
The same day as Woods’ arrest, authorities released his mugshot, showing the golfer in a blue shirt.
During the press conference, Budensiek disclosed how Woods was treated while he was in custody.
“As far as him being in the jail, we’re going to make sure he’s safe,” he assured. “We’re not going to put him in general population. He’s not going to be with other inmates that can hurt him or try to capitalize on what he did. He’ll pay the price but he’s not going to pay the price by getting punished in jail.”
Woods was held at the Martin County Jail for roughly eight hours, following Florida statute.
“He was cooperative but he was not trying to incriminate himself,” said the sheriff, adding, “There is a Florida state statute that requires us to keep people incarcerated for at least eight hours post-DUI arrest. He’s in our jail he will be there for at least eight hours and then he’ll be released on bond if he posts bond.”
He later bonded out and was spotted sitting in the passenger seat of a car, still wearing the same blue polo shirt he wore in his mugshot.
Woods has made no public statement regarding the crash or his arrest.
