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Tiger Woods' Florida DUI arrest and opioid-related crash aftermath

1 hours ago4 articles from 2 sources

Consensus Summary

Tiger Woods was arrested in Florida on March 27, 2024, for driving under the influence after crashing his Land Rover on Jupiter Island. The crash occurred while Woods was reportedly distracted by his phone and radio, clipping a truck and rolling onto its side. Authorities found hydrocodone pills in his pocket, and Woods admitted to taking prescription medications earlier in the day. Despite passing a breath test with no alcohol detected, he refused a urine test and was charged with DUI, property damage, and refusal to submit to testing. Woods’s physical condition, including multiple surgeries and chronic pain, was noted during the arrest, with deputies observing signs of impairment. He pleaded not guilty, demanded a jury trial, and stepped away from golf to seek treatment. The case is set for a hearing on May 5, with Woods posting bail of $1,150. Public figures like Donald Trump have commented on Woods’s ongoing health struggles, framing his situation as related to pain management rather than alcohol use. The crash caused significant property damage, with estimates ranging between $5,000 and $7,254, and no injuries were reported. Woods’s legal team has not yet been publicly named.

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Key details reported by multiple sources:

  • Tiger Woods was arrested on March 27, 2024, in Martin County, Florida, for driving under the influence (DUI) after crashing his Land Rover on Jupiter Island
  • Woods was found with two white pills identified as hydrocodone (Norco) in his pocket during the arrest
  • Woods told deputies he was looking at his phone and changing the radio station before the crash, which involved clipping a truck and rolling onto its side
  • Woods refused a urine test but submitted to a breath test that showed no alcohol in his system
  • Woods was released on bail eight hours after arrest, posting $1,150 bail, and is charged with DUI, property damage, and refusal to submit to a lawful test
  • Woods has undergone seven back surgeries and over 20 surgeries on his right leg, with his ankle seizing up while walking
  • Deputy Tatiana Levenar conducted field sobriety tests and noted Woods's impaired faculties, including hiccupping, head movement, and slow/lethargic movements
  • Woods pleaded not guilty to DUI charges and demanded a jury trial, with his case scheduled for a hearing on May 5, 2024
  • The crash caused approximately $7,254 in damage to the truck (ABC) and $5,000 in damage to the trailer (Guardian)
  • Woods stepped away from golf indefinitely to seek treatment and focus on his health, posting a statement on April 2, 2024

Points of Difference

Details reported by only one source:

ABC News
  • Woods was granted a Florida judge’s request to leave the U.S. for inpatient treatment one day after the arrest
  • The arrest report explicitly states Woods was hiccupping during questioning and continuously moved his head during sobriety tests
  • The truck driver was uninjured, and Woods climbed out from the passenger side of the overturned vehicle
  • Woods’s ankle seizes up while walking, and he had a compression sock over his right knee during the arrest
  • The arrest report mentions Woods’s movements were slow and lethargic, and he was sweating during questioning
  • The Guardian’s probable cause affidavit was obtained by ABC, but ABC does not mention the Trump interview or its details
THEGUARDIAN
  • Donald Trump commented that Woods ‘lives a life of pain’ due to his injury history and that Woods ‘doesn’t have an alcohol problem, but he does have pain’
  • The probable cause affidavit states Woods attempted to pass the truck by crossing double yellow lines into oncoming traffic before the crash
  • The truck driver’s name is identified as Jeremy Bullard, and the trailer sustained roughly $5,000 in damage
  • Woods’s eyes were described as ‘bloodshot and glassy’ and his speech and movements as ‘lethargic and slow’
  • Woods was taken to a local hospital for medical clearance after arrest and declined medical treatment in jail
  • Woods’s arraignment on April 23 was waived, and he entered a plea of not guilty and demanded a jury trial on April 2, 2024

Contradictions

Conflicting information between sources:

  • ABC states the truck sustained $7,254 in damage, while the Guardian reports the trailer sustained $5,000 in damage
  • The Guardian’s probable cause affidavit describes Woods crossing double yellow lines to pass the truck, but ABC does not mention this detail
  • ABC reports Woods was released on bail eight hours after arrest, but the Guardian does not specify the exact time spent in custody
  • The Guardian mentions Woods was taken to a hospital for medical clearance after arrest, while ABC does not mention this step
  • ABC states Woods was arrested on March 27, but the Guardian does not explicitly confirm this date in its headlines or body text

Source Articles

GUARDIAN

Bodycam footage shows Tiger Woods’s shock after crash: ‘I’m being arrested?’

Golfer has pled not guilty to DUI charges Hydrocodone pills found in pocket after arrest Bodycam footage of Tiger Woods’s arrest for DUI shows the golfer looking surprised when he was handcuffed by po...

ABC

Tiger Woods had opioid pills in pocket at crash scene, police say

A sheriff's office report says golfer Tiger Woods had hydrocodone opioid pills in his pocket when interviewed at the scene of his car crash in Florida last week....

GUARDIAN

Tiger Woods says looking at his phone led to Florida rollover crash

Deputies cite signs of impairment in affidavit Hydrocodone pills found in pocket after arrest Woods waives arraignment, demands jury trial Tiger Woods told authorities he was looking down at his phone...

ABC

Police release body cam footage showing Tiger Woods stunned over arrest

Body camera footage shows Tiger Woods expressing astonishment as he was handcuffed after crashing his SUV last week in Florida....