Tiger Woods, following a rollover crash of an SUV near his home in Florida, was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with DUI, property damage and a refusal to submit to a lawful test.
Neither Woods nor the driver of the truck the SUV struck were injured in the crash, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said in a press conference outside the sheriff’s office. Woods was being held in the Martin County Jail and was to remain there until 11 p.m. ET on Friday, should he post bond.
Here is everything we know about the Woods accident, based on information from the sheriff’s department and additional reports.
How did the Tiger Woods crash happen?
According to Budensiek, here are the details:
At 2 p.m., the Jupiter Island Police Department was called and a crash was reported along the 280 block of South Beach Road in Hobe Sound, Fla., a few miles from Woods’ home on Jupiter Island. There, a pressure cleaner truck pulling a small trailer had been pulling into a driveway when the driver saw the Woods-driven SUV trying to overtake the truck at “high speeds.”
“He saw it coming,” Budensiek said, “so he tried to edge off to the side of the road, but this is a small two-lane road there was no shoulder for this 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 of the pressure cleaner apparatus, listed to the side, and then rolled on the driver’s door, north past the truck that had just avoided the crash.”
Budensiek said he didn’t know how fast Woods was driving. “But I can tell you this: It’s a 30 mph speed limit. And when I show you the photos, they kind of speak for themselves. You can see where he clipped the back of the trailer. You can see where he rolled. And then, as he decelerates, sliding down on the driver’s door of the vehicle, you can see that he slid for a pretty decent space before he came to a stop.”
Pictures of the scene can be found below:
What happened after Tiger Woods’ crash?
Woods, Budensiek said, crawled out of the passenger door, and the Jupiter Island police officers came to the accident scene, where it appeared that Woods “might be impaired.” The sheriff’s office was called. Budensiek said Woods “did exemplify signs of impairment,” and DUI investigators conducted tests.
“Of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had; we did take that into account,” Budensiek said. “But they did do some in-depth roadside tests, and when it was determined, he was placed under arrest and taken to the Martin County Jail.”
Budensiek said the experts evaluating Woods at the scene didn’t believe that he was impaired on alcohol, but “believed it was some type of medication or drug.” No drugs or medication, Budensiek said, were in Woods’ SUV.
What happened in the Martin County Jail?
Woods, Budensiek said, took a breathalyzer test and showed no trace of alcohol, but he refused a urinalysis test. No further testing would be conducted, Budensiek said.
“We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash,” Budensiek said.
What are the charges against Woods?
By refusing the urinalysis test, Woods was charged DUI, property damage and a refusal, all misdemeanors. Budensiek said Woods was “cooperative.”
“But he was not trying to incriminate himself,” Budensiek said, “so he was careful in what he said and didn’t say, and when it came time again for the test, the urine test at the jail, he stopped that.”
When would Woods be released?
Woods was to stay in the jail until 11 p.m. ET on Friday, should he post bond. Budensiek said Woods would be kept safe in the jail.
“Let me go back to the simplicity of this with a sheriff’s office: We know we arrested a high-profile figure,” Budensiek said. “I’m not trying to dramatize, but it doesn’t matter who you are, or iff you break the law — we’re going to follow the law. That’s a really easy path to take.
“Now, as far as being in the jail, we’re going to make sure he’s safe. We’re not going to put him in general population. He’s not going to be with other inmates that could 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.”
Was anyone injured?
Budensiek said the other driver was OK. Woods, the sheriff said, “was lethargic on scene, but that we believe was because of what he was intoxicated on.”
Has Woods been involved in other crashes?
He has been involved in three others.
–In 2021, Woods was involved in a one-car crash outside of Los Angeles, sustained multiple injuries, and was hospitalized for three weeks following surgery. In a statement at the time, doctors said Woods “suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery.” The injuries included “comminuted open fractures” in the tibia and fibula, requiring a rod to be inserted into the leg.
–In May of 2017, police found Woods asleep at the wheel of a vehicle parked in the middle of a street in Jupiter. He would later plead guilty to reckless driving.
–In November of 2009, Woods crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant and tree outside of his home and was cited for careless driving.
On Tuesday, Woods played with his team in TGL, an indoor simulator-based league. It was his first televised play since undergoing a back procedure last October.
What are others saying?
On Golf Channel, analyst Mark Rolfing said this after the press conference:
“This is a sad day, really. I think it’s a very sad day. And there’s a lot of implications of which we’re not going to know a whole lot for a while, obviously. I just don’t know what to think. I look at the timeline of the other accidents, and then I think about what happened this afternoon, and it makes me nervous. I just have this really nervous feeling about it.”
What did he mean by being nervous?
“Tiger means so much to the game. He’s the most important and influential person in the game. And has been for a lot of my lifetime. And in particular of late, he’s been doing so many things that seem to be right. We knew he had some struggles for a number of years and I can relate to those. But I’ll tell you, this one kind of caught me off guard a little bit. And that’s why I’m nervous.”
President Trump also said this, in front of a gathering of reporters: “I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulties. There was an accident and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, amazing man. But some difficulties.”