Tiger Woods released on bail after DUI charge over 'high speed' crash near Florida home
Police believe Woods had taken a type of medication or drug, not alcohol
Tiger Woods has been released on bail after being charged with driving under the influence following his involvement in a car crash in Florida.
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The 15-time major winner was taken to jail after his Land Rover rolled over in a collision with a pick-up truck towing a trailer he was attempting to overtake on Jupiter Island.
Woods walked away unhurt but was described as “lethargic” by officers, questioned at the scene and later refused to submit to a urine test.
The 50-year-old was kept in jail for eight hours before being released on bond.
Martin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Woods had been released in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Sheriff John Budensiek told reporters Woods had also been charged with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test, both of which are not felonies.
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Woods, who was pictured on the phone yards away from the wreckage, attempted to overtake a truck at "high speed" when he clipped the vehicle, causing it to "rollover".
The crash occurred just after 2pm in Jupiter Island, close to where the golf legend lives.
Giving a news conference on Friday evening, Budensiek said: "It did appear that the driver of the Land Rover might be impaired.
The officer told reporters that the driver of the pickup truck, who has not been identified, was driving northbound on the road and was slowly pulling into a driveway.
He then looked in his mirror and saw a dark-coloured Land Rover trying to overtake at speed in the 30mph zone.
Woods refused to give a urine sample when asked but Mr Budensiek said the golfer was keen "not to incriminate himself, he was careful".
The sheriff said: "Shortly before 2pm, the pressure cleaner truck pulling a trailer, was northbound on South Beach Road and was turning into a driveway.
"It was slowing down, starting to turn into a driveway, and the driver of that vehicle looked in his mirror and saw a dark coloured Land Rover overtaking him at high speed.
"He saw it coming so he tried to edge off to the side of the road, but this is a small two-lane road and there was no shoulder for, for this pressure cleaner gentleman to get off this side of the road.
"As he was trying to move to the side of the road, the Land Rover overtook him at the last minute and swerved to avoid a collision, but clipped the back end of the trailer of the pressure cleaner apparatus, listed to the side, and then rolled onto the driver's door north past the truck that had just avoided the crash.
"The individual driving that Land Rover was able to crawl out the passenger door of the car and was identified to be Mr. Tiger Woods."
Investigators concluded that Woods "did exemplify signs of impairment," and undertook several tests on him.
Woods told officers of the past injuries and surgeries he had sustained, but was arrested following roadside tests.
The sheriff added: "We really weren't suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case, and that proved to be true at the jail.
"Mr Woods did a breathalyser test, blew triple zeros, but 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."
Donald Trump spoke to reporters on Friday where he said Woods had "some difficulty" after the crash.
He said: “There was an accident, and that's all I know. Very close friend of mine.
"He’s an amazing person. Amazing man. But, some difficulty. I don’t want to talk about it".
In 2021, Woods was involved in a serious car crash in Rancho Palos Verdes, near Los Angeles, which left him needing leg surgery and threatened to end his career.
On that occasion, the vehicle rolled several times and left Woods trapped in the car with open fractures to his lower limbs.
Also in 2017, weeks after his spinal surgery, Woods was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence when he was found asleep at the wheel of his car in Jupiter.
He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving. It emerged that he had had five prescription drugs in his system at the time and he spent 11 months on probation.
During his return to action in November 2017, Woods revealed the depth of his physical struggles.
He said: "I've been in bed for about two years and haven’t been able to do much".
He had a rod placed in a tibia, and had screws and pins inserted in his foot and ankle during the emergency surgery.
Earlier this week, the 15-time major champion insisted he wants to play in next month’s Masters. The comments came after he admitted to getting his "a*** kicked" on his return to action in the TGL Finals.
Woods had back surgery last October, having been sidelined since The Open in the summer of 2024, but made his return as his Jupiter Links team were beaten in the final of the golf league co-founded by Woods and Rory McIlroy.