The golf star was taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence after emerging unhurt from a car crash. Police suspect Woods was "impaired on medication" — but he refused a urine test.
Woods has been working his way back to golf from a seventh back surgery [FILE: April 4, 2022]Image: John Angelillo/UPI Photo via Newscom/picture alliance
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US golf star Tiger Woods has been released on bail after being charged with driving under the influence (DUI) following a car crash in Florida on Friday evening, local authorities have confirmed.
Woods was arrested at the scene of the crash in which the 50-year-old's Land Rover rolled over after clipping the back of a truck's trailer during an overtaking maneuver on a two-lane road near where Woods lives on Jupiter Island.
Neither Woods nor the truck driver were hurt, but the 15-time golf major winner was described as "lethargic" by police officers.
A breathalyzer test at Martin County Jail found no alcohol in Woods' system, with investigators believing his impairment was drug or medication-related. However, Woods refused a urine test.
In addition to DUI, he was also charged with property damage, and refusal to submit to a lawful test.
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Tiger Woods car crash: What else do we know?
"The DUI investigators came to the scene and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment," said Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek, adding that officers believed Woods was "impaired on medication."
"He did explain the injuries and surgeries that he’s had and we did take that into account, but they did some in-depth roadside tests. At the Martin County jail, and even on scene, we were really not suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case and that proved to be true," Budensiek said.
"Mr Woods did a breathalyzer test with triple zeros, but when it came time for us to ask for a urinary analysis test, he refused," he added.
In accordance with Florida law, Woods remained in custody for eight hours before being released on bond.
Tiger Woods: Incredible career ended by car crash?
He was a child prodigy who has since enjoyed enormous sporting success, but it's not all been plain sailing for Tiger Woods. Following a serious car accident Wood's eventful career may have just come to an end.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Sullivan
Child prodigy
At just six months old, the young Tiger Woods was reportedly able to copy his dad's golf swings. Eighteen months later, he'd made his first appearance on TV. By the age of 13, he'd become close to a household name, featuring on all the major networks in the US. He was also picking up just about every trophy in the junior ranks.
Image: picture alliance/AP/B. Galbraith
Turning pro
The American turned pro at 20 after picking up a trio US Amatuer titles and, true to form, wasted no time making his mark. Just two months after becoming a professional in 1996, he was picking up his first PGA Tour win at the Las Vegas Invitational.
Image: picture alliance/AP/L. McLendon
Master of the Majors
If the win in Vegas was a milestone, this was the moment Woods really arrived on the global stage. At 21, he became the youngest man ever to win at Augusta and picked up the famous green jacket. He'd go on to win the Masters three more times, with his current major championship tally standing at 14.
Image: Imago/UPI Photo
The Grand Slam
April 8, 2001 was arguably the most remarkable day of an astounding career. Again it came at Augusta as Woods picked up a second Masters win. Impressive as that is, that win also mean he held all four major titles at once, something no other golfer has managed.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Sullivan
Pairing up
In October 2004, Woods married Swedish model Elin Nordegren after he met her through fellow golfer Jesper Parnevik, for whom Nordegren worked as a nanny. The pair tied the knot in Barbados and had a son named Charlie Axel and a daugher named Sam together.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K. Ludbrook
Accident causes all sorts of damage
Throughout his career up to this point in 2009, Woods had always maintained a squeaky clean image. But in the wake of allegations of multiple affairs, he crashed his car in to a fire hydrant, a tree and some hedges outside his Florida mansion. The subsequent days, weeks and months saw him pull out of tournaments, lose several lucrative sponsorship deals and his marriage ended in 2010.
The Bridgestone Invitational at the Firestone Country Clum in Akron, Ohio is far from the most prestigious of tournaments. But this 2013 win was Woods' 79th on the PGA Tour and, for a long time, it looked like it would be his last.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/P. Long
Not ready for the comeback
After missing the Masters for the first time in his career in 2014, Woods returned to Augusta a year later. But it wasn't the comeback he'd hoped for. Woods looked out of sorts and was clearly struggling with the back injuries that would eventually require several operations and a lot of recovery time.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Andrew Gombert
The low point
In the early hours of the morning, again not far from his Florida home, Woods was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs after falling asleep at the wheel in a traffic lance with the engine running. Woods initially blamed it on prescription drugs and later pleaded guilty to reckless driving, was fined and banned from drinking alcohol for the year that he's under probation.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AP/Palm Beach County Sheriff's office
First win in five years
After making his way back from nearly two years out injured and position 1199 on the world ranking list, Woods finally got his hands on some silverware again after five long years, winning the Tour Championship in September, 2018. "I just can't believe I pulled this off," the 42-year-old said. "I was having a hard time not crying coming up to the last hole."
Image: Reuters/J. D. Mercer
Back at the top
Woods' remarkable comeback was complete when he sealed an unexpected win at the 2019 Masters. Having kept himself in contention, Woods stayed calmed on the final day when others didn't and sealed his first major in 11 years, and his first Masters in 14 years. He finished 13-under par, winning by one shot over a trio of chasers. It was Woods' 15th major title and perhaps the greatest of them all.
Image: Getty Images/A. Redington
Career-ending crash?
On February 23, 2021, Tiger Woods' car went off the road in a Los Angeles suburb, rollling several times. He subsequently underwent surgery to repair what doctors described as "significant orthopaedic injuries" to his lower right leg and ankle. According to police, the golfer did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the early-morning incident.
Image: AP/picture alliance
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Woods' history of car accidents
Friday's incident marks at least the third time Woods has been involved in a car crash in recent years.
In 2017, he also faced a DUI-related charge. Woods initially said he had taken a bad mix of painkillers, but later pleaded guilty to reckless driving.
This latest accident comes after Woods returned to competitive action for the first time in over a year at an indoor event on Tuesday.
Woods had said afterwards that he hoped to be fit enough to play at the Masters next month — one of golf's most prestigious competitions.
US President — and keen golfer — Donald Trump has also commented on Woods' latest crash.
"There was an accident, that's all I know," he told reporters. "I feel so badly. He's got some difficulty. He's a very close friend of mine, he's an amazing person, an amazing man."
Following a 2009 crash outside his own home and subsequent revelations about his private life, Woods admitted to numerous extramarital affairs.