US golf star Tiger Woods has been released on bail after being charged with driving under the influence following a car crash in Florida on Friday evening, local authorities confirmed.
Woods was arrested at the scene after his Land Rover rolled over when it clipped the back of a truck’s trailer while overtaking on a two-lane road near his home on Jupiter Island. Neither Woods nor the truck driver were injured; police described the 50-year-old as “lethargic.”
A breathalyzer test at Martin County Jail registered no alcohol, and investigators said they believed any impairment was due to drugs or medication. Woods refused a urine test. He faces charges of DUI, property damage, and refusal to submit to a lawful test.
“The DUI investigators came to the scene and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment,” Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said, adding officers believed Woods was “impaired on medication.” Budensiek noted Woods discussed his past injuries and surgeries, which were taken into account during in-depth roadside tests. “Mr Woods did a breathalyzer test with triple zeros, but when it came time for us to ask for a urinary analysis test, he refused,” the sheriff said.
Under Florida law, Woods remained in custody for eight hours before being released on bond.
This is at least the third recent crash involving Woods. On February 23, 2021, his car veered off a coastal road in Los Angeles, causing multiple leg and ankle injuries; he later said he nearly lost his legs. In 2017 he faced a DUI-related incident, initially attributing it to a bad mix of painkillers and later pleading guilty to reckless driving.
The latest accident comes after Woods returned to competition for the first time in over a year at an indoor event earlier in the week. He had said he hoped to be fit for the Masters next month.
US President Donald Trump, a keen golfer and friend of Woods, commented: “There was an accident, that’s all I know. I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty. He’s a very close friend of mine, he’s an amazing person, an amazing man.”
Following a 2009 crash outside his home and subsequent revelations about his private life, Woods admitted to numerous extramarital affairs.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery, Dmytro Hubenko