JUPITER ISLAND, FL — Tiger Woods was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after a rollover crash Friday afternoon on Jupiter Island, Florida, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said the golfer was not injured, and no one else was hurt in the collision, which happened on South Beach Road before 2 p.m. Woods was released Friday night after being held for the minimum period required under Florida law.
Investigators said the crash involved a truck pulling a small pressure-cleaning trailer and a Land Rover driven by Woods. The sheriff’s office said the SUV approached from behind, attempted to pass, clipped the trailer and tipped onto its driver’s side before sliding to a stop.
Sheriff says Woods showed signs of impairment at the scene
During a Friday news conference, the sheriff’s office said deputies noticed signs of impairment when they responded to the crash. Woods was then arrested at the scene, authorities said.
Officials said Woods agreed to provide a breath sample, and the test showed no alcohol in his system. He refused to take a urine test, which investigators said is used to detect drugs or medication.
Based on what deputies observed, investigators said they believe medication may have caused the impairment. No substances were found in the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities describe a narrow road with little room for error
Investigators said the crash happened in the 280 block of South Beach Road, a narrow two-lane roadway with a 30 mph speed limit. They said there was little space for drivers to move aside if traffic conditions changed quickly.
The sheriff’s office also said the situation could have been much worse if oncoming vehicles had been present. The truck driver was not injured, and Woods was able to leave the SUV through the passenger side after it came to rest.
The collision damaged property but did not produce injuries, even though the Land Rover rolled onto its side. Authorities have not indicated that any other vehicles were involved beyond the truck and trailer.
Two misdemeanor charges filed after the arrest
Woods was charged with driving under the influence with property damage and with refusal to submit to a lawful test. Both charges are misdemeanors, according to authorities.
He was kept at the jail for at least eight hours, which Florida law requires, before being released Friday night. As of Saturday afternoon, investigators had not announced a court date.
ABC News said it had reached out to Woods’ representatives for comment. The sheriff’s office has not said whether any further steps in the case are planned.
The crash comes years after a serious 2021 wreck in California
The Florida arrest adds another chapter to Woods’ driving history, which has drawn attention before. In 2021, he was seriously hurt in a crash in Southern California.
Officials later said there was no evidence of impairment in that wreck and described it as a pure accident. His SUV was found several feet away from the center divider in an area that had a high frequency of accidents, authorities said at the time.
Woods later told Golf Digest that he underwent a long rehabilitation process after that crash, including three months in a hospital-type bed at home.
Woods was arrested on suspicion of DUI in Jupiter in 2017
This is not the first time Woods has faced an impaired-driving allegation in Florida. In 2017, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Jupiter.
An incident report from that case said he was asleep and had to be woken up. Woods was later released on his own recognizance.
After that arrest, he issued a statement apologizing to his family, friends and fans. President Donald Trump also commented on Friday’s arrest, saying during a gaggle in Miami that he felt badly for Woods and describing him as a close friend.
