STUART, Florida (AP) – Tiger Woods entered a plea agreement on Wednesday to a reckless driving charge as part of the legal proceedings following a rollover crash in March near his residence in Florida.
During a court appearance in Martin County, Woods accepted a reduced charge after initially being charged with driving under the influence (DUI). In conjunction with the plea deal, a judge imposed a five-year suspension on Woods' driver's license.
The 50-year-old golf icon remained mostly silent throughout the hearing, sitting at the defense table and occasionally looking at the courtroom gallery. Woods had previously pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge. He was arrested after the incident where his SUV clipped another vehicle, culminating in a rollover on a residential road in Jupiter Island.
The sheriff's report indicated that deputies discovered two pain medications in Woods' pocket and noted signs of impairment. While Woods did participate in a Breathalyzer test that returned negative results, he declined to submit to a urine test. Fortunately, neither Woods nor the other vehicle's occupant sustained injuries in the crash. However, his Land Rover inflicted approximately $5,000 in damages to the truck involved in the accident, per the police report. Following the incident, Woods told a deputy that he was distracted, looking down at his phone and adjusting the radio when the collision occurred.
Tiger Woods is considered one of the most influential golfers in history; however, his illustrious career has been significantly impacted by a series of back and knee surgeries, several car accidents, and his struggle with prescription pain medication dependency. Over the years, Woods has experienced a total of four vehicular crashes. He stepped away from the golfing tour after a notable crash in 2009 and again after the latest incident, remaining absent from competitive tournament play.
In light of his legal troubles, Woods sought treatment and left the United States to attend an inpatient rehabilitation facility, as recorded in court documents. He made his first public appearance since completing treatment on June 23, where he introduced the PGA Tour's plans for a revamped schedule in 2028. Despite his legal issues, Woods has continued in his role as chairman of the PGA Tour’s Future Competition Committee, although he refrained from answering questions during this particular event.
