Tiger Woods, the American professional golfer and 15-time major champion,[1] was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early on May 29, 2017, in Jupiter, Florida.[2][3]
Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies found the then-41-year-old Woods asleep behind the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz sports car on a residential street at 3:02 a.m. local time. The vehicle's engine was running, music was playing and the right turn signal was on.[2][3]
Woods exhibited signs of impairment including bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and the smell of alcohol, according to the arrest report. He performed poorly on field sobriety tests. A breathalyzer test showed no alcohol in his system.[2]
Subsequent toxicology results revealed five substances in Woods' system: the painkillers hydrocodone and hydromorphone; the sleep aid zolpidem; and the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam.[4] Woods told deputies he had taken prescription medications and was unaware he had driven about 70 miles from his home near Orlando.[2]
Woods, who at the time was dealing with chronic back issues and had undergone four back surgeries since 2014, was released later that morning.[2][5]
On his SiriusXM show on June 5, 2017, commentator Stephen A. Smith criticized Woods, saying compassion was running out and urging the golfer to stop driving.[6] "My brother, you got issues with drugs, and I personally suspect... that it’s pain meds," Smith said. "You’re a billionaire, bro. You can afford car service."[6]
U.S. President Donald Trump voiced support for Woods in comments on June 2, 2017, attributing the incident to back problems. "His back is a big problem for him," Trump said. "He goes through hell with his back treatments."[7]
Woods pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving on October 27, 2017. The DUI charge was dropped under a plea agreement, and he was placed on probation for one year with 50 hours of community service.[5]
Sources
- PGA Tour, Tiger Woods player profile, accessed October 2024, https://www.pgatour.com/player/08793/tiger-woods
- ESPN, Tiger Woods arrested for DUI in Florida, police say, May 29, 2017, https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/19447985/tiger-woods-arrested-dui-florida-police-say
- Reuters, Tiger Woods arrested on suspicion of DUI in Florida, May 29, 2017, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-golf-woods-arrest-idUSKBN18J2E4
- The New York Times, Tiger Woods Took 5 Types of Drugs Before D.U.I. Arrest, Report Says, June 1, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/01/sports/golf/tiger-woods-dui-arrest-drugs.html
- ESPN, Tiger Woods pleads guilty to reckless driving, avoids jail time, October 27, 2017, https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/21284591/tiger-woods-pleads-guilty-reckless-driving-avoids-jail-time
- Fox News, Stephen A. Smith: Compassion running out for Tiger Woods after DUI, June 5, 2017, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/stephen-a-smith-compassion-running-out-tiger-woods-dui
- Golf Digest, Donald Trump on Tiger Woods arrest: He goes through hell with back treatments, June 2, 2017, https://www.golfdigest.com/story/donald-trump-on-tiger-woods-arrest--he-goes-through-hell-with-back-treatments
