A newly released arrest affidavit paints a deeply concerning picture of what happened before, during and after Tiger Woods’ rollover crash in Florida last Friday.
The details that have emerged from Tiger Woods’ arrest last Friday are difficult to read, no matter how you feel about the 15-time major champion. A newly released affidavit from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office fills in the gaps between what happened on a quiet stretch of Beach Road in Hobe Sound, Florida, and the eight hours Woods spent in jail before being released on bond. What it reveals is a portrait of a man showing serious signs of impairment, carrying prescription opioid pills in his pocket and struggling to keep his footing during a roadside sobriety test.
What deputies found at the scene
When deputies arrived following the crash, Woods had already climbed out of his overturned black Range Rover through the passenger side, assisted by the driver of the truck he had collided with, a man identified as Jeromy Bullard, along with another individual at the scene. From the moment officers made contact with the 50-year-old golfer, their observations were consistent and concerning.
Despite sitting in a vehicle with cool air circulating around him, Woods was sweating heavily. His movements were described as slow and lethargic, and deputies noted he showed severe signs of impairment. When he removed his sunglasses, the picture became harder to ignore. His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and his pupils were extremely dilated. Interestingly, the report also noted he appeared extremely alert throughout the investigation, a combination that, paired with the physical signs observed, raised immediate red flags for the officers present.
Throughout the encounter, Woods had a persistent and noticeable case of the hiccups, a detail that, while minor on its own, added to the overall picture deputies were forming in real time.
The pills and the prescription question
During a search of Woods’ person, deputies discovered two loose white pills inside his left pants pocket. The pills were stamped with the marking M367 and were identified as hydrocodone, an opioid prescribed for the treatment of severe pain. When asked whether he was taking any prescription medication, Woods confirmed that he was, though he told deputies he had taken it earlier that morning and had not consumed any alcohol or illegal substances that day. A breathalyzer test administered at the jail confirmed his blood alcohol content was 0.00 on both samples. He declined to submit a urine sample.
The discovery of the hydrocodone is significant in part because of Woods’ history. During his 2017 DUI arrest, a toxicology report confirmed he had tested positive for five substances, one of which was also hydrocodone. That arrest did not involve a collision. This one did.
How the crash happened
According to the affidavit, Woods told investigators that he was looking down at his cell phone and adjusting his radio station when the pickup truck ahead of him slowed to turn into a driveway. By the time he registered the change in speed, it was too late. He crossed over a double solid line and into oncoming traffic in an attempt to avoid impact, but still clipped the rear bumper of the truck, causing his Range Rover to flip onto the driver’s side. The total damage to the truck and the pressure washer trailer it was hauling was estimated at $5,000.
Woods refused all medical treatment at the hospital he was taken to following the crash, and once he was discharged, he was transported back to jail to complete the booking process.
Sobriety tests and a body that has been through the wars
The field sobriety evaluation added another layer of context to the situation. Woods, who has undergone seven back surgeries and more than 20 procedures on his leg, was visibly limping and stumbling to the right during the exercises. He was wearing a compression sock over his right knee. He did not pass the sobriety tests.
It is worth noting that his physical condition alone makes standard field sobriety assessments complicated to interpret fairly. His legal team will likely have something to say about that when he appears in court next month.
What comes next
Woods is facing charges of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. He remains listed in the field for the Masters, where he would be attempting his first major appearance since The Open Championship in July 2024. Whether he tees it up at Augusta National now sits as one of the more uncomfortable questions in golf, a sport that has always had a complicated and deeply personal relationship with its most iconic figure.
Story credit: TMZ