US golf legend Tiger Woods was arrested on the suspicion of driving under the influencer (DUI) after a two-car crash in Florida on Friday, March 27. Shocking photos of the incident that took place in Jupiter Island, Florida, showed the pro-golfer standing on the side of the road while his black Land Rover laid flipped on its side right before he was apprehended.
The incident also made prominent headlines due to its proximity to Woods’ home in the Sunshine State.
In addition to facing a DUI charge, the professional golfer has also been hit with charges for property damage and refusal to submit to lawful test. For those unversed with the golfing legend’s past, this isn’t the first time he’s been involved in such a rollover crash. The American athlete has been at the centre of multiple high-profile auto accidents, with his infamous crash history dating back to the early 2000’s.
Tiger Woods car crash: What happened on Friday?
On Friday, the Jupiter Island Police Department responded to calls about a rollover crash on South Beach Road just before 2 pm ET. The 50-year-old allegedly attempted to overtake a utility pressure cleaner truck when he hit the “back end” of the truck’s trailer. It resulted in car rolling over on the street, as disclosed during a press conference held by the Martin County Sheriff Department on March 27.
Photos released since then even shed light on skid marks on the road, appearing to show the path Woods’ car took before flipping over on its side. Additional images also showed that the cars went through the grass of the residential neighbourhood at one point during the manoeuvre.
The golfer ultimately managed to crawl out of his vehicle unharmed and was apprehended by local authorities shortly after that.
Although police, as cited by US reports, said Woods was not under the influence of alcohol as his breathalyser test registered a 0.00, he refused a urinalysis. This triggered a charge of DUI with property damage, in addition to refusal to submit to a lawful test, according to Martin County Sheriff John M Budensiek’s remark at the press conference.
How many DUIs does Tiger Woods have?
In light of his latest DUI arrest on Friday, Woods’ prior crash history has resurfaced, with many taking interest in all the serious accidents he’s been connected to in the past.
According to The Athletic, the Friday accident is the fourth major incident involving the golfer and an automobile. His infamous streak has indisputably permanently scarred his reputation. The first of these dates back to 2009. However, it was a 2017 incident that previously threatened him with DUI charges.
2009: On November 27, 2009, the golfer crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree outside of his home near Orlando at 2:30 am. Although found to be at fault, he did not face charges beyond a traffic citation for careless driving, as per the Florida Highway Patrol.
2017: On May 19, 2017, he was arrested in Jupiter on suspicion of DUI, as he was found asleep in black Mercedes at 3 am. The car was stopped in the right lane, while the engine was still running. Tiger eventually pleaded guilty to reckless driving. He blamed the incident on “an unexpected reaction” to taking multiple prescription drugs at once, including Vicodin, Dilaudid, Xanax, Ambien and THC.
The golfer attributed his self-medication to pain triggered by his spinal fusion in April. Although the DUI charges were dropped, Woods entered a diversion program while spending a year on probation. He was forced to submit drug testing and was ordered to avoid alcohol, according to the USA Today.
2021: On February 23, 2021, Woods hit a sign after drifting left across a median while driving in Rancho Palos Verde in California. He then swerved back to the right and across the road in a curve. It resulted in his car rolling down an embankment and flipping onto its side. As rescue crews came to his aid, Los Angeles police subsequently said the crash was caused by high speed, which rendered Woods unable to navigate the curve.
No charges were filed at the time, with the crash being ruled an accident.