Woods Released After DUI Arrest in Florida
STUART, Fla. – Tiger Woods walked out of a Florida jail Friday night, shortly after being arrested for driving under the influence. In an attempt to dodge the media, he exited through a back door.
The 50-year-old golf icon had been discovered slumped in the driver’s seat of a black Cadillac as he left Martin County Jail, about eight hours after a rollover accident in his neighborhood of Jupiter Island.
Authorities indicated that Woods was speeding in a flatbed truck when he flipped his Land Rover around 2 p.m., noting he was possibly impaired by “some type of drug or narcotic.”
Woods has had a troubled history with prescription medication and vehicular incidents. He spent the mandated eight hours in custody, but managed to leave through a concealed exit, even though police claimed he wouldn’t receive any special treatment.
Details surrounding his release remain unclear. He seemed disheveled and groggy in his mug shot, and it’s not known if he was bailed out or formally arraigned.
The accident happened just three miles from his residence. According to Sheriff John Budensiek, a utility truck was towing a small trailer when it noticed Woods’ speeding vehicle on a narrow two-lane road with a 30 mph limit.
As the truck driver attempted to pull over, Woods reportedly swerved and ended up pinning the truck against the trailer, leading to the SUV’s overturning.
While the precise number of rolls is uncertain, the sheriff noted that the vehicle appeared to have skidded “a significant distance” before coming to rest.
Investigation Details
Witnesses observed that Woods appeared “lethargic” as he crawled out of the wreckage through the passenger side. Authorities conducted a roadside search before taking him into custody.
“Mr. Woods did show signs of impairment,” Budensiek stated during a press briefing. However, he clarified that at no point during the incident did they suspect alcohol involvement. At the jail, Woods took a breathalyzer test, which resulted in a reading of zero.
Besides refusal to undergo a urine test, Woods was charged with driving under the influence, damage to property, and non-compliance with a legal test.
This marks Woods’ second DUI arrest. He previously faced charges in 2017 when he was found unconscious in his vehicle, under the influence of a mix of prescription drugs.
At that time, he accepted a plea deal, resulting in a year of probation.
