Tiger Woods\u00a0pleaded no contest to a reckless driving charge and his driver\u2019s license was suspended for five years Wednesday following\u00a0a March rollover crash\u00a0in Florida, where he initially was accused of driving under the influence.<\/p>\n
\n
Woods, still one of\u00a0golf\u2019s most influential figures\u00a0and as recognizable as any athlete in the world, has had a remarkable fall since winning the 2019 Masters for his 15th major. The first person of Black heritage to win the Masters in 1997, his career has been derailed by multiple back and knee surgeries, car crashes and\u00a0dependence on pain medication.<\/p>\n
He was arrested in March after\u00a0his SUV clipped a truck\u00a0and rolled over on its side on a beachside residential road near his home on Jupiter Island. A sheriff\u2019s report said deputies found two pain pills in his pocket and he showed signs of impairment. He did a Breathalyzer test, which came out negative, but refused to take a urine test.<\/p>\n
He pleaded not guilty to the original DUI charge.<\/p>\n
Before the hearing in Florida\u2019s Marin County on Wednesday, Woods, 50, sat at the defense table looking back at the mostly empty courtroom gallery. He said little as he agreed to the reduced charge and left the courthouse without addressing reporters.<\/p>\n
He had arrived with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, President Donald Trump\u2019s former daughter-in-law. She sat behind him during the proceedings.<\/p>\n
\u201cTiger is not absolved of accountability and he surrendered his license for the next five years,\u201d Mark Steinberg, his longtime manager at Excel Sports told the AP. \u201cHe is continuing his treatment and prioritizing all aspects of his health.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prosecutor says Tiger Woods has a tolerance to pain medicine<\/h4>\n
The prosecutor in the case said two toxicologists found there was insufficient proof of his impairment and determined Woods had built up a \u201cpharmacological\u201d tolerance after years of using pain pills.<\/p>\n
Thomas Bakkedahl, a state attorney, defended his decision to accept the plea, saying, \u201cI did what I think is right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prosecutors obtained the\u00a0golfer\u2019s pharmacy records\u00a0that showed he had a lawful prescription, Bakkedahl said.<\/p>\n
The deputy who arrested Woods after the crash\u00a0found two white pills\u00a0in his pocket that had markings identifying them as hydrocodone, according to the arrest report. Hydrocodone is an opioid that is prescribed for pain, but it can be addictive.<\/p>\n
Woods told the deputy he takes a few prescription medications, according to the report, including \u201cVicodin\u201d \u2014 a brand name painkiller that contains hydrocodone.<\/p>\n
He has had\u00a0numerous surgeries\u00a0on his legs and back over the last two decades \u2014 some to treat cartilage and ligament damage, a ruptured tendon, arthritis, and damaged discs in his back.<\/p>\n
At Wednesday\u2019s hearing, Woods also pleaded no contest to refusing to submit to testing after the crash and was fined $1,500, according to court documents. A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but means the accused will offer no defense. The plea is treated as a conviction in the criminal justice system.<\/p>\n
Andrew Buda, a defense lawyer in Tampa who\u2019s not involved in the case, said a positive drug result from a urine test would not have been strong evidence against Woods because prescription medications can stay in the body for extended periods.<\/p>\n
\u201cA reduced plea to reckless driving is a plausible and unremarkable outcome \u2014 not evidence of special treatment,\u201d said Buda, a former prosecutor. \u201cA defendant with a good attorney who took the same steps \u2014 disclosure, mitigation, treatment \u2014 could reasonably expect a similar outcome under the same facts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Woods\u2019 attorney has not responded to a message seeking comment.<\/p>\n
Yes, Tiger can still drive a golf cart<\/h4>\n
Judge Darren Steele warned Woods that his driver\u2019s license suspension didn\u2019t include exceptions. \u201cIf you were to drive for any reason at all, you would immediately go back to jail,\u201d the judge told Woods.<\/p>\n
The prosecutor said he was confident that Woods would be spotted if he doesn\u2019t heed the message. \u201cOf all the people in the world who should not get behind the wheel of a car, it\u2019s one of the most recognizable people on the planet,\u201d Bakkedahl said.<\/p>\n
But there\u2019s one vehicle Woods still can drive, at least in Florida \u2014 a golf cart.<\/p>\n
That because Florida law says as long you are at least 18, you can operate a golf cart without a license. And that applies to anyone, Bakkedahl said in an email, whether you\u2019re on a golf course or public property.<\/p>\n
Video shows the aftermath of the crash<\/h4>\n
Body camera footage\u00a0shows Woods taking out his phone after the crash and telling a deputy, \u201cI was just talking to the president.\u201d<\/p>\n
Woods can be heard saying, \u201cThank you so much,\u201d as he hangs up and the deputy approaches. It is not clear if Woods was referring to President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n
The footage also shows the handcuffed Woods hiccupping, yawning and repeatedly appearing to nod off during the 15-minute ride.<\/p>\n
Neither Woods nor the person in the other vehicle were injured in the crash, according to officials. Woods told a deputy that he was looking down at his phone and changing the radio station when he hit the truck.<\/p>\n
In Washington, Trump told reporters the resolution of the case was fair.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told him that a long time, \u2019Why don\u2019t you get somebody to drive you?\u2019 So he\u2019s going to have somebody drive him from now on,\u201d the president said Wednesday. \u201cAnd, you know, he\u2019s just a very special guy. I\u2019m glad that was resolved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Woods has been\u00a0involved in four crashes\u00a0over the years. He took a leave from the golf tour after the 2009 crash and again after the latest crash and has yet to return to tournament play.<\/p>\n
He left the United States to seek treatment at an inpatient treatment facility, according to court records.<\/p>\n
Woods made his first public appearance since returning from treatment on June 23 when he introduced the PGA Tour\u2019s plans to revamp its schedule for 2028. Woods remained as chair of the tour\u2019s Future Competition Committee after his arrest.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
Associated Press reporters Doug Ferguson in Jacksonville, Florida; Ed White in Detroit; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
#Tiger #Woods #pleads #nocontest #reckless #driving #charge #loses #drivers #license #years<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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<\/p>\n