Tiger Woods says he’ll step away to seek treatment after not guilty plea to DUI charge
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island
(CNN) — Days after a lethargic, glassy-eyed Tiger Woods was found at the scene of a rollover crash, with opioids in his pocket, the professional golf legend said he was “stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment” and focus on his health.
“This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery,” he said in a statement.
The 50-year-old has pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence, according to court documents.
The 82-time PGA Tour winner is also charged with refusal to submit to a lawful test — both misdemeanors. His arraignment is scheduled for April 23.
Not far from his home in Martin County, Florida, Woods walked away from Friday’s crash unscathed. But he was sweating profusely and presented with “extremely dilated pupils,” according to an arrest affidavit released Tuesday.
The 50-year-old failed a field sobriety test and was in no condition to drive, the affidavit said. His driver’s license has been suspended, court documents show.
The car crash is the latest in a series for Woods and marks the 15-time major winner’s latest setback as he attempts another comeback after years of injuries.
Woods’ attorney, Douglas Duncan, filed a waiver of arraignment — meaning Woods would not have to appear in court for an initial hearing — and a demand for a jury trial in Martin County court.
Duncan previously represented Woods in a 2017 DUI case in which prescription drugs, including hydrocodone, were found in his system.
Two pills of hydrocodone, a prescription opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain, were found in his pocket during Friday’s arrest, the affidavit said.
CNN has reached out to Woods’ representative and Duncan for comment.
The crash happened on a residential street where his Land Rover crossed double solid lines and “maneuvered around” another vehicle with an attached trailer. Woods struck that trailer, causing his SUV to flip onto its driver’s side, the affidavit said.
The other driver helped Woods out of the overturned vehicle from the passenger side, since the SUV’s driver’s side was pinned to the ground, the affidavit said.
Woods — whose legal first name is Eldrick — told the deputy he did not notice the other vehicle slowing down because he was looking at his cell phone and changing the radio station, the affidavit says.
He told deputies he had not consumed any alcohol but had taken “a few” prescription medications earlier that day.
Due to his physical limitations — Woods told deputies he has had seven back surgeries and more than 20 operations on his leg — he performed some of the tests while seated on a patrol vehicle’s bumper, the affidavit said.
He made multiple errors during field sobriety exercises, such as starting before being instructed to do so and not counting steps correctly, the deputy wrote.
“Woods continuously moved his head from side to side and had to be instructed several times to keep his head straight,” the deputy wrote.
The deputy concluded that “Woods’ normal faculties were impaired, and he was unable to safely operate the motor vehicle,” according to the affidavit. Woods was arrested shortly after 3 p.m.
A breath test taken at the Martin County Jail registered 0.000 on both samples, indicating no alcohol was detected, the affidavit says. But Woods refused to submit to a urine test to determine the presence of chemical or controlled substances.
Woods was not injured in the crash and was seen leaving the Martin County Jail late Friday, CNN affiliate WPBF reported.
The circumstances of his arrest bore similarities to his May 2017 arrest.
Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving in that case. His 12-month probation was contingent on completing recommended treatment, including DUI school, 50 hours of community service and random drug and alcohol testing.
In 2009, Woods was cited for careless driving. And in 2021, he was hospitalized after a serious rollover crash in Los Angeles County that investigators ruled was an accident.
Since then, Woods has played in 11 tournaments but finished only four. It’s not clear whether he will play in next month’s Masters Tournament.
After a TGL indoor golf league match last week, Woods said he was “trying” to return to competitive golf, but his “body doesn’t recover like when I was 24/25.”
“I’ve had a couple bad injuries here in the past year,” Woods told reporters after the match. “I’ve had to fight through, it’s taken some time. But I keep trying. I want to play.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Jacob Lev, Kyle Feldscher and Chenelle Woody contributed to this report.
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