Plea comes hours after sheriff’s report mentioned the golfer confirmed indicators of impairment on the scene of final week’s crash.
Printed On 31 Mar 2026
Golfer Tiger Woods pleaded not responsible in his driving below the affect case in Florida on Tuesday, hours after a sheriff’s report mentioned he had ache drugs and confirmed indicators of impairment on the scene of the crash final week.
The net court docket docket for Martin County, Florida, confirmed that Woods entered a written plea of not responsible and deliberate to waive his look throughout an arraignment listening to subsequent month.
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Woods’s eyes have been bloodshot and glassy, his pupils have been dilated, and he had opioid drugs in his pocket when interviewed on the scene of the crash, based on the arrest report launched by the Martin County Sheriff’s Workplace.
The golfer’s actions have been sluggish and torpid, and he was sweating as he talked to deputies and advised them he had taken prescription remedy earlier within the morning, based on the report. Woods advised deputies he had been taking a look at his cellphone and twiddling with the radio earlier than he clipped a truck in entrance of him, the report mentioned.
Deputies discovered two white drugs, which have been recognized because the opioid hydrocodone, used to deal with ache, in his pocket, the report mentioned.
When requested by a deputy if he took any prescription drugs, Woods mentioned, “I take just a few.”
Woods’s agent at Excel Sports activities, Mark Steinberg, has not responded to a number of messages searching for remark.
The golfer was travelling at excessive speeds on a beachside, residential highway on Jupiter Island when his Land Rover clipped the truck and rolled onto its aspect, based on the sheriff’s workplace, which famous that Woods had proven indicators of impairment.
The truck had $5,000 in injury, based on the report.
The truck driver and one other particular person helped Woods out of his car, with the golfer needing to climb out from the passenger aspect. Neither Woods nor the truck driver was injured.
Throughout a area sobriety take a look at, deputies observed Woods limping and that he had a compression sock over his proper knee. The golfer defined he had undergone seven again surgical procedures and greater than 20 leg operations, and that his ankle seizes up whereas strolling. Woods, who was hiccupping in the course of the questioning, constantly moved his head throughout one of many sobriety assessments, and deputies needed to instruct him a number of instances to maintain his head straight, the report mentioned.
“Primarily based on my observations of Woods, how he carried out the workouts and primarily based on my coaching, data, and expertise, I believed that Woods’ regular schools have been impaired, and he was unable to securely function the motorcar,” the deputy wrote after the assessments.
Woods, 50, is essentially the most influential determine in golf and has change into as recognisable as any athlete on the earth. The primary particular person of Black heritage to win the Masters in 1997, he has captivated golf followers with information seemingly by no means to be damaged.
However his accidents saved him from undertaking extra, together with these suffered in a 2021 automotive crash that broken his proper leg so badly he mentioned medical doctors thought of amputation.
At this newest crash, Woods agreed to a breathalyser take a look at, which confirmed no indicators of alcohol, however he refused a urine take a look at, authorities mentioned. He was arrested and launched on bail eight hours later.
Nobody from Woods’s camp or the PGA Tour – he’s on the board and is the chairman of the committee reshaping the competitors mannequin – has commented since his arrest.
Woods, who has been concerned in lots of crashes over time, is charged with driving below the affect, with property injury and refusal to undergo a lawful take a look at. He’s scheduled for arraignment on April 23. On-line court docket information don’t listing a lawyer for him.
Below a change to Florida regulation final 12 months, refusing a regulation enforcement officer’s request to take a breath, blood or urine take a look at has change into a misdemeanour, even for a primary offence.
