Based on legal filings, Tiger Woods, the fifteen-time major tournament victor, on Tuesday asserted his innocence regarding accusations of misdemeanor driving under the influence (DUI), property damage, and a refusal to undergo a lawful test.
Douglas Duncan, a legal counsel hailing from West Palm Beach, Florida, filed Woods’ declaration of innocence along with a demand for a jury proceeding in the Martin County Circuit Court, Stuart, Florida.
Furthermore, Woods chose to forgo his arraignment hearing, an event initially set for April 23.
ESPN’s inquiry for a statement received no prompt reply from Duncan.
In a 2017 legal matter, Duncan served as Woods’ counsel when the sportsman faced arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. This occurred after law enforcement discovered him unconscious behind the steering wheel of his active vehicle, which exhibited two deflated tires and impact marks on both its front and rear sections. Woods, at the time, stated he had ingested an unfavorable combination of analgesic medications.
Subsequently, Woods admitted culpability for imprudent driving and consented to participate in an intervention initiative, forming a component of the agreement reached with the prosecution.
Previously on Tuesday, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office made public a sworn statement regarding the apprehension, providing specifics of Woods’ most recent detention. This followed a vehicular overturn incident last Friday, occurring close to his residence situated on Jupiter Island, Florida.
As stated in the sworn declaration, Woods informed officials that his attention was directed downwards at his mobile device and he was adjusting the radio frequency within his Range Rover sport utility vehicle, consequently preventing him from observing a truck towing a trailer as it decelerated.
During her questioning of Woods, Tatiana Levenar, a deputy with the Martin County Sheriff’s Department, documented in a sworn arrest statement that he exhibited “excessive perspiration” and his locomotion appeared “sluggish and unhurried.”
On Friday, Sheriff John Budensiek of Martin County stated that Woods’ breath analysis indicated no presence of alcohol. However, Woods declined to undergo a urinalysis or a blood examination for the detection of other substances, as reported by the sheriff.
The sport utility vehicle operated by Woods overturned subsequent to making contact with the trailer. His SUV veered, then toppled onto its flank, proceeding to slide along the thoroughfare. The operator of the truck and an additional undisclosed individual assisted Woods in exiting his SUV through the passenger-side window.
Once Woods consented to undertake roadside sobriety assessments, Levenar noted that he was “hobbling and veering towards the right.”
Woods informed the officer that he had undergone seven spinal procedures and over twenty surgical interventions on his right lower limb, a limb he had gravely harmed in a vehicular collision near Los Angeles in February 2021.
Levenar documented in the sworn statement: “I inquired of Woods if he possessed the capacity to execute actions like perambulating and elevating his leg. Woods indicated he experiences a gait irregularity and his ankle becomes rigid during locomotion.”
Due to his physical ailment, Levenar instructed Woods to take a seat on the patrol vehicle’s bumper for the duration of the inquiry.
Upon Woods taking off his eyewear, Levenar observed his eyes to be “reddened and glazed,” and his pupils appeared “considerably enlarged.”
The officer inquired of Woods whether he had ingested any alcoholic beverages, to which he responded: “None.”
When Levenar questioned if Woods had ingested any prescribed pharmaceuticals, he affirmed: “I consume some.” As per the official record, Woods mentioned he had consumed prescribed tablets earlier that day.
The identities of the pharmaceutical agents were obscured within the sworn declaration.
A different Martin County Sheriff’s officer discovered a pair of hydrocodone tablets within Woods’ left trouser pocket, as per the apprehension document.
Hydrocodone was the substance detected within Woods’ physiological makeup during his detention for DUI accusations in May 2017.
Levenar directed Woods to undertake a sequence of four roadside sobriety evaluations.
Levenar documented: “Arising from my observations concerning Woods, his execution of the assessments, and drawing upon my instruction, comprehension, and expertise, I concluded that [Woods’] customary faculties were compromised, and that he was incapable of securely operating the automobile.”
Subsequent to Woods’ apprehension, he was conveyed to the Cleveland Clinic’s South Emergency Room, yet he declined any and all healthcare interventions. He was then returned to the Martin County Detention Facility, where he remained in custody until his release on a $1,000 surety bond later that Friday evening.
Up to Tuesday, neither Woods nor the PGA Tour had issued a public statement regarding his detention.