
Article content
Golf superstar Tiger Woods was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after being involved in a rollover car crash in Florida on Friday, law enforcement officials said.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.
- Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.
- Unlimited online access to National Post.
- National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
- Support local journalism.
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.
- Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.
- Unlimited online access to National Post.
- National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
- Support local journalism.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
- Enjoy additional articles per month
- Get email updates from your favourite authors
Sign In or Create an Account
or
Article content
Woods was uninjured in this latest twist in a turbulent career. He was detained after the vehicle he was driving clipped a truck and flipped over while trying to overtake on a residential street near his home on Jupiter Island.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said the 50-year-old — who was arrested for driving under the influence in 2017 — showed signs of “impairment” but subsequently passed a breathalyzer test for alcohol.
Article content
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Article content
However, he was formally charged with driving under the influence after refusing to take a urine analysis test, Budensiek said.
Article content
“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.
Article content
The sheriff said drug recognition experts who examined Woods at the scene believed Woods was impaired with “some kind of medication or drug.”
Article content
However, under Florida law, Budensiek said, Woods was entitled to refuse a urine test.
Article content
“We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash,” Budensiek told reporters.
Article content
While neither Woods nor the driver of the other vehicle was injured, Budensiek said the incident “could have been a lot worse.”
Article content
“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.”
Article content
Article content
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.
Article content
Article content
“When I show you the photos, they kind of speak for themselves … you can see that he slid for a decent space before he came to a stop.”
Article content
President Donald Trump told reporters in Miami he feels badly for Woods. “He’s got some difficulty, there was an accident, and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, amazing man, but, uh, some difficulty.”
Article content
Under Florida DUI laws, Woods will be detained for a minimum of eight hours at a local jail before being released.
Article content
Friday’s incident comes five years after he was involved in a serious car crash in California that left him with severe right leg injuries.
Article content
The 15-time major winner needed pins inserted in his foot and ankle and a rod in his tibia as well as a follow-up surgery in 2023.
Article content
Woods returned from the 2021 crash at the 2022 Masters, where he finished 47th despite struggling to walk Augusta National for all four rounds.
Article content
Woods, whose clean-cut image was left in tatters after a 2009 sex scandal that upended his career, has been working to return from an Achilles tendon rupture last March and back surgery last October.

