Tiger Woods, the golf star, appeared at a hearing in Martin County Court in Florida on Wednesday, September 2nd. During the hearing, Woods decided not to contest the reckless driving charges related to a Florida car accident. He agreed to have his driver’s license suspended for 5 years and pay a fine of $1000.
Woods had previously denied charges of driving under the influence and refusing to take a legal alcohol test that resulted in property damage during a drunk driving incident.
His decision not to contest on Wednesday implies that the defendant neither admits nor denies guilt but accepts the punishment.
In March, Woods was involved in a rollover car accident in Jupiter Island, Florida. According to officials, Woods’ Land Rover collided with a truck and flipped over.
An arrest report revealed that he was speeding on a residential seaside road with a speed limit of 30 miles per hour. It also indicated that the damage to the truck he hit amounted to $5000.
Reports showed that Woods himself was not injured in the accident and told responding officers that he was looking down at his phone and changing the radio station at the time of the crash. Officers noted that Woods seemed impaired.
Although he consented to an alcohol breath test (which showed zero alcohol content), he refused to undergo a urine test.
The arrest report stated that he informed the authorities about taking a “small amount” of prescription medication, and officers found 2 opioid pills, hydrocodone, in his pocket.
Thomas Bakkedahl, the prosecutor for the 19th Judicial Circuit of Florida, mentioned on Wednesday that proving drug impairment in a DUI case like Woods’ was particularly challenging. The prosecution currently cannot meet the burden of proof to show that Woods’ impaired driving was due to drugs rather than alcohol.
Bakkedahl explained that since Woods declined the urine test, the authorities “cannot definitively know the chemical makeup in Woods’ blood at the time of the accident”. While Woods admitted to taking painkillers, records showed they were prescription drugs and he was compliant with medical instructions.
Two forensic toxicologists invited to review the case concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove Woods was intoxicated at the time.
As a result, the court dropped the DUI charge against Woods and replaced it with a reckless driving charge, to which Woods decided not to contest.
The 50-year-old Woods is considered one of the most influential figures in the golf world. In 1997, he became the first African American to win the Masters Tournament. Despite breaking numerous records, his professional career has been plagued by car accidents, reliance on pain medication, and multiple back and knee surgeries.