Tiger Woods to appear in court Wednesday for a change of plea in his DUI case

(CNN) — Tiger Woods is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday for a change of plea hearing, court records show, five months after he said he was seeking recovery treatment following a rollover car crash that led to charges of driving under the influence.

The golf champion failed a sobriety test in March after crashing his car not far from his home in Martin County, Florida, according to an arrest affidavit. Woods denied drinking any alcohol, but he told deputies he had taken “a few” prescription medications earlier that day, and he was carrying prescription opioids in his pocket, the affidavit said.

He pleaded not guilty that same month to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and refusal to submit to testing, and also received a traffic violation for careless driving. He was initially scheduled to appear in court on September 8.

But Woods is now scheduled to appear at a plea conference at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Martin County Courthouse – about 40 miles north of West Palm Beach – according to a notice filed in court. It is unclear how Woods may change his plea or if he has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.

When CNN reached out to Woods’ representatives about the development Tuesday, one of his attorneys declined to comment.

The incident earlier this year was the latest in a series of crashes for Woods, and it marks yet another setback for the 15-time major championship winner as he attempts a comeback after years of injuries.

Another crash in a difficult cycle

Though Woods walked away unscathed from the March crash, it hurled the sports legend into a now-familiar cycle of public crash-outs and emotional comebacks.

During the crash earlier this year, Woods’ Land Rover crossed over double solid lines on a residential street and “maneuvered around” another vehicle with an attached trailer, the affidavit said. Woods struck the trailer, causing his car to flip onto its driver’s side, the affidavit said.

The other driver helped Woods climb out of his passenger side while the Land Rover laid overturned, the affidavit said.

Woods told a deputy he had not seen the other vehicle slowing down because he was looking at his cell phone and changing the radio station, according to the affidavit.

He made multiple errors during field sobriety exercises. Deputies also found two hydrocodone pills — a prescription opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain — in his pocket, the affidavit said.

No alcohol was detected in a breath test taken by Woods at the Martin County Jail, the affidavit said. But Woods refused to participate in a urine test that could help determine whether he had consumed chemical or controlled substances.

“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” Woods said in a statement following his arrest. He announced he would be stepping away “to seek treatment and focus on my health,” a decision he said was necessary for him to “work toward lasting recovery.”

Since 2009, he has been involved in several vehicular incidents, including a careless driving citation and a serious rollover that left him with severe injuries and a long path to rehabilitation.

His reputation also had to recover from a 2017 incident that bore some similarities to today’s case.

In the 2017 case, Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving after he was arrested in Florida under suspicion of driving under the influence. A toxicology report from the incident found he had pain, anxiety and sleeping medications, along with THC – a compound found in marijuana – in his system. As part of a plea deal, Woods attended a DUI first-offender program.

After more than a year away from competitive golf, Woods briefly competed earlier this year at the TGL Finals tournament in March. Despite rumblings he may have been readying for a sensational Masters return in April, the speculation was scrapped after his latest car crash.

This past Sunday, Woods congratulated PGA Tour golfer Scottie Scheffler, who won the Tour Championship, claimed a second FedEx Cup title and surpassed Woods for the most PGA Tour career earnings.

“Three wins, five runner-ups and finishing the season No. 1. Those are some numbers to be proud of,” Woods posted on X. “Incredible consistency all season long. Congrats on a historic season, Scottie.”

CNN’s David Close, Vivian Kuo and Meridith Edwards contributed to this reporting.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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