Golfer Tiger Woods Arrested and Jailed Following Florida Car Accident

Tiger Woods has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence, property damage, and refusal to submit to a lawful test after being involved in a car crash in Florida. According to Sheriff John Budensiek, Woods displayed 'signs of impairment' following the incident, which occurred in the same town where he resides. Although a breathalyzer test at the scene returned negative, Woods refused to provide a urine sample. He has also been charged with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. This is the third time Woods has been involved in a car crash, with the most recent incident occurring in February 2021. Photos from the scene showed the vehicle lying on its side. Sheriff Budensiek stated that 'the DUI investigators came to the scene and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment.' Despite explaining his injuries and surgeries, Woods was placed under arrest and taken to the Martin County jail. At the jail, Woods took a breathalyzer test with 'triple zeros,' but refused a urinary analysis test. As a result, he has been charged with DUI, property damage, and refusal to submit to a lawful test. The sheriff added that Woods was driving at 'high speed' when his vehicle tipped onto its side and slid before coming to a stop. The speed limit on the road was 30mph. When investigators arrived, Woods appeared 'lethargic' and police believe he was 'impaired on medication.' Woods will be kept in jail for at least eight hours before being eligible for release on bond. The offenses are not felonies. The driver of the other vehicle was also unharmed. It is unclear if Woods was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, as he 'crawled out of the passenger door' before police arrived. Woods was alone in the car. The vehicle Woods hit was a truck towing a pressure cleaner trailer, and the driver attempted to 'edge off' the side of the road to avoid the collision. Woods has been working towards a return to competitive golf after rupturing his Achilles tendon in March 2025 and undergoing back surgery in October. He competed for the first time in over a year during the TGL finals, where his team lost. Woods has been playing a limited schedule since being involved in a car crash in Southern California in February 2021. The 15-time major champion had surgery to deal with open fractures to his lower right leg, a rod placed in his tibia, and screws and pins inserted in his foot and ankle. Woods later said doctors considered amputation. Following the accident, Woods began a rehabilitation process that included three months in a hospital-type bed at home. He had at least one more surgery related to injuries from the crash in April 2023. In 2017, Woods was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Jupiter, Florida. An incident report stated that he was asleep and 'had to be woken up.' Woods was later released on his own recognizance. Woods shared a statement after the incident, apologizing to his family, friends, and fans. Throughout his stellar golfing career, Tiger Woods has won 15 major tournaments, including multiple Masters, PGA Championships, US Open, and The Open titles. He spent a record 683 weeks as world No. 1 and is the only player to hold all four major titles at the same time. Woods enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom but faced a dramatic fall from grace after his private life unraveled. Admissions of serial infidelity followed, leading to a break from the game as he received therapy and dealt with personal humiliation. Just weeks after his spinal surgery, Woods was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence when he was found asleep at the wheel. He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving and spent 11 months on probation. During his return to action in November 2017, Woods revealed the depth of his physical struggles, stating, 'I've been in bed for about two years and haven't been able to do much.' Woods required multiple surgeries for leg and ankle injuries following a rollover car crash in Los Angeles. Fire crews used 'jaws of life' cutting equipment to remove him from the wreckage. He did not play competitive golf again for 15 months and has had numerous health and injury problems since. Donald Trump expressed his concern for Woods, stating, 'I feel so badly' and describing Woods as a 'very close friend of mine.' Trump claimed Woods will not play at the Masters but will attend as a spectator. After recovering from back surgery, Woods has been in contention to return to competitive golf for the first time since The Open in the summer of 2024. Speaking to Fox News, Trump stated, 'I love Tiger, but he won't be there. He'll be there, but he won't be playing in it.' Woods indicated he remains hopeful of competing, stating, 'I've been trying. It's just this body doesn't recover like when I was 24, 25.'