MIAMI — Tiger Woods’ turbulent career veered into fresh turmoil on Friday (Saturday in Manila) when the golf icon was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after a rollover crash near his Florida home, authorities said.
Woods, 50, escaped injury but was detained after his vehicle clipped a truck while attempting to overtake on a residential road on Jupiter Island, flipping over before sliding to a stop.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Woods -- who was arrested for driving under the influence in 2017 -- showed signs of “impairment”, though he passed a breathalyzer test.
However, he was formally charged with driving under the influence after refusing to take a urine analysis test, Budensiek said.
“When it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused, and so he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test in the crash,” Budensiek said.
The sheriff said drug recognition experts who examined Woods at the scene believed the golfer was impaired with “some kind of medication or drug.”
However, under Florida law, Budensiek said, Woods was entitled to refuse a urine test.
“We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash,” Budensiek told reporters.
While neither Woods nor the driver of the other vehicle was injured, Budensiek said the incident “could have been a lot worse.”
“This is a small two-lane road,” he said. “Had somebody been moving in the opposite direction, we would not be having a conversation saying there was no injuries.”
Asked to estimate how fast Woods had been driving in the moments before the crash, Budensiek replied: “The answer is I can’t. But I can tell you this -- it’s a 30 mile an hour speed limit.
President Donald Trump expressed sympathy for Woods in remarks to reporters in Miami following the incident.
“He’s got some difficulty, there was an accident, and that’s all I know,” Trump said. “Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, amazing man, but, uh, some difficulty.” AFP
MIAMI — Tiger Woods’ turbulent career veered into fresh turmoil on Friday (Saturday in Manila) when the golf icon was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after a rollover crash near his Florida home, authorities said.
Woods, 50, escaped injury but was detained after his vehicle clipped a truck while attempting to overtake on a residential road on Jupiter Island, flipping over before sliding to a stop.
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Woods -- who was arrested for driving under the influence in 2017 -- showed signs of “impairment”, though he passed a breathalyzer test.
However, he was formally charged with driving under the influence after refusing to take a urine analysis test, Budensiek said.
“When it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused, and so he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test in the crash,” Budensiek said.
The sheriff said drug recognition experts who examined Woods at the scene believed the golfer was impaired with “some kind of medication or drug.”
However, under Florida law, Budensiek said, Woods was entitled to refuse a urine test.
“We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash,” Budensiek told reporters.
While neither Woods nor the driver of the other vehicle was injured, Budensiek said the incident “could have been a lot worse.”
“This is a small two-lane road,” he said. “Had somebody been moving in the opposite direction, we would not be having a conversation saying there was no injuries.”
Asked to estimate how fast Woods had been driving in the moments before the crash, Budensiek replied: “The answer is I can’t. But I can tell you this -- it’s a 30 mile an hour speed limit.
President Donald Trump expressed sympathy for Woods in remarks to reporters in Miami following the incident.
“He’s got some difficulty, there was an accident, and that’s all I know,” Trump said. “Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, amazing man, but, uh, some difficulty.”
