Tiger Woods faces serious consequences after charges connected to a DUI car accident
Tiger Woods has reached a plea deal after being involved in a rollover crash in Florida.
Back in March, the golf star was arrested when his car flipped over after hitting a pick-up truck on Jupiter Island. Luckily, he wasn’t hurt and passed a breathalyser test, but he refused to take a urine test for drugs.
The police report said the officers noticed Woods was “sweating a lot,” moving slowly, and had “bloodshot and glassy” eyes. He was then charged with driving under the influence (DUI) causing property damage, and for refusing the urine test.
On Wednesday, Woods went to a hearing at Martin County Courthouse in Stuart, Florida, with his girlfriend Vanessa Trump, Donald Trump Jr.’s ex-wife. At the hearing, the 50-year-old pleaded no contest to the lesser charge of reckless driving, which the judge accepted. This meant the original DUI charge was lowered to reckless driving.
He also pleaded no contest to refusing the test and got a citation for careless driving.
The state attorney, Thomas Bakkedahl, said the no contest plea is basically like a guilty plea. Woods received a five-year driving suspension and a $1,000 fine for reckless driving. For refusing the test, he got an extra $500 fine. The careless driving citation came with a minimum fine and another five-year driving ban that runs at the same time as the other suspension.
In total, Woods faces a five-year driving ban and $1,500 in fines for the crash.
At a press conference, Bakkedahl said, “I’m confident with how this case was settled.” He added that he treated Woods like any other person, joking, “Today I settled a case for a man who drives a golf ball for a living. Tomorrow, I’ll do the same for someone who drives a nail for a living.”
Woods hasn’t commented since the case was closed, but after the crash in March, he released a statement saying, “I understand how serious this is. I’m taking some time off to get treatment and focus on my health so I can recover fully.”
This March crash was the second time Woods was arrested for suspected DUI.