Tiger Woods was taken into custody Friday afternoon on suspicion of driving under the influence after a rollover accident near his Hobe Sound, Florida residence.
The crash occurred shortly after 1 p.m. when Woods' Land Rover, traveling at what authorities described as a high rate of speed, attempted to pass a pickup truck that was turning into a driveway near 281 Beach Road. The Land Rover clipped the trailer being pulled by the pickup and rolled onto its side.
"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," said Sheriff John Budensiek of the Martin County Sheriff's Office. "Our DUI investigators came to the scene here and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment."
No injuries were reported in the two-vehicle collision, according to Budensiek, who briefed reporters Friday evening.
Following roadside sobriety tests, Woods was arrested and transported to Martin County Jail. Authorities believe the 15-time major champion was impaired by medication or drugs rather than alcohol.
At the jail facility, Woods registered 0.00 on a breathalyzer test but declined to provide a urine sample. "We will never get definitive results as to what he was impaired on at the time of the crash," Budensiek explained, noting that refusing the urine test constitutes a criminal offense in Florida when arrested for DUI.
Both the DUI charge and the test refusal are classified as misdemeanors under Florida law, according to the sheriff.
Budensiek described Woods as appearing "lethargic" at the crash scene but confirmed the golfer was cooperative with law enforcement. While the sheriff could not specify Woods' exact speed, he noted the road carries a 30 mph speed limit and that crash scene photos showed the vehicle "slid for a pretty decent space before he came to a stop."
Under Florida law, individuals arrested for DUI must remain in custody for eight hours before posting bond, meaning Woods could not be released before 11 p.m. Friday.
This incident marks another entry in Woods' history of traffic-related legal troubles. In May 2017, Jupiter police found him asleep at the wheel and arrested him for DUI, with toxicology reports later revealing five different medications in his system but no alcohol.
More recently, Woods suffered severe leg injuries in a February 2021 rollover crash in California, though authorities determined he showed no signs of impairment in that incident. Those injuries have significantly limited his competitive golf schedule in recent years.
The latest arrest comes as Woods has been making limited appearances on the golf course and recently participated in the TGL indoor golf league. The incident raises new questions about his ability to compete and his ongoing struggles with prescription medications that have previously led to legal issues.