Golf legend Tiger Woods has been released on bail after being arrested on charges of driving under the influence following a car crash in Florida.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said the 50-year-old, a 15-time major champion, was also charged with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test after the incident on Friday in Jupiter Island.
Authorities said Woods rolled his Land Rover after attempting to overtake a pressure cleaning truck at a “high rate of speed” on Beach Road shortly before 2:00 p.m. local time. The vehicle clipped the truck and flipped, forcing Woods to crawl out through the passenger-side door. No injuries were reported.
Sheriff John Budensiek said officers initially did not suspect alcohol impairment, a view supported by Woods passing a breathalyser test with a reading of zero. However, investigators said he displayed signs of impairment and refused to take a urine test that could have determined whether other substances were involved. Under Florida law, refusing the test is itself an offence.
Woods was taken to the Martin County Jail, where he remained for the minimum eight-hour holding period required by state law before being released on bail. The charges filed against him are misdemeanours, not felonies.
Budensiek said Woods was cooperative with officers during the investigation but appeared careful not to incriminate himself. The golfer also told investigators about his history of injuries and surgeries, which officers said they considered while conducting roadside evaluations.
U.S. President Donald Trump, a longtime acquaintance of Woods, reacted to the incident by saying he felt “so badly” for the golfer and described him as “an amazing person.”
The crash adds to a series of past driving-related incidents involving Woods. In 2017, he was found asleep at the wheel of a parked car near his Florida home with several prescription medications in his system and later pleaded guilty to reckless driving, receiving a year of probation. An earlier 2009 crash outside his home also sparked a major personal scandal that contributed to the collapse of his marriage and several endorsement deals.
Woods has played a limited golf schedule in recent years following a serious 2021 car crash that left him with severe injuries.
