Tiger Woods has been charged with driving under the influence after being involved in car crash in Jupiter Island, Florida
Tiger Woods charged with driving under the influence, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test after being involved in rollover crash – five years after near-fatal accident left him fearing he'd lose leg; The Martin County Sheriff's Office said Woods was not injured
Friday 27 March 2026 23:16, UK
Tiger Woods has been 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.
The 15-time major winner was taken to jail after his vehicle rolled over following a collision with a trailer he was attempting to overtake.
Sheriff John Budensiek, from the Martin County sheriff's office in Florida, told reporters Woods showed "signs of impairment" after the incident in Florida, which happened shortly after 2pm local time on Friday and happened in the same town where Woods lives.
Woods took a breathalyser test at the scene which returned negative, but refused to submit a urine sample, Budensiek said.
He has also been charged with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. No injuries were reported.
Photos from the scene showed the vehicle lying on the driver's side.
Budensiek said: "The DUI investigators came to the scene and Mr Woods did exemplify signs of impairment.
"They did several tests on him. He did explain the injuries and surgeries that he's had and we did take that into account, but they did so some in-depth roadside tests.
"When it was determined, he was placed under arrest and taken to the Martin County jail.
"At the Martin County jail, and even on scene, we were really not suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case and that proved to be true.
"Mr Woods did a breathalyser test with triple zeros, but when it came time for us to ask for a urinary analysis test, he refused and so he has been charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test."
Budensiek added that Woods had been driving at "high speed" and his vehicle tipped on to its side and then "slid for a pretty decent space before he came to a stop".
The speed limit on the road in question was 30mph.
When investigators arrived, Woods appeared "lethargic" at the scene and police believe he was "impaired on medication".
He will be kept in jail for at least eight hours before being eligible for release on bond. The offences are not felonies.
The driver of the other vehicle was also unhurt.
Woods' previous car crashes
Personal scandal (November 2009)
Woods enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom, but his fall from grace was equally spectacular. His private life unravelled dramatically after he crashed his car into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his home in Windermere, Florida. Admissions of serial infidelity followed and led to him taking a break from the game as he received therapy and dealt with the personal humiliation.
DUI (May 2017)
Just weeks after his spinal surgery, Woods was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence when he was found asleep at the wheel of his car in Jupiter, Florida. He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving. It emerged that he had had five prescription drugs in his system at the time and he spent 11 months on probation. During his return to action in November 2017, Woods revealed the depth of his physical struggles. "I've been in bed for about two years and haven't been able to do much," Woods said.
Serious car accident (February 2021)
Woods required multiple surgeries for leg and ankle injuries following a rollover car crash in Los Angeles. Fire crews had to use 'jaws of life' cutting equipment to remove him from the wreckage of his vehicle after he lost control at high speed on a winding stretch of road. He did not play competitive golf again for 15 months and has had numerous health and injury problems since.
Weir: Damaging day for Woods
Speaking to Sky Sports News, golf correspondent Jamie Weir said: "What is the biggest fallout from this and I think the answer has to be reputational damage for Tiger Woods. This is hugely embarrassing to be arrested for driving under the influence, to spend eight hours in a Florida jail, for questions to arise to what was in his system having refused to take that urine test?
"This is the third time he has been involved in a car crash and this has echoes of 2017.
"There are lots of people thinking the bank account is healthy enough, surely he can afford a driver to take him places because he's putting himself, and most importantly, other road users and pedestrians at risk.
"This is another damaging day for Woods reputationally."
Woods working towards competitive action
Woods has been working toward a return to competitive golf after rupturing an Achilles tendon in March 2025 and undergoing back surgery last October.
He competed for the first time in more than a year during Tuesday's TGL finals, where his Jupiter Links GC team lost to the Los Angeles Golf Club. He had not decided whether to play in the Masters from April 9-12.
Woods has been playing a limited schedule since being involved in a car crash that occurred in Southern California in February 2021 in which the vehicle rolled several times and left him trapped inside.
The golf great later had surgery to deal with open fractures to his lower right leg, a rod placed in a tibia, and had screws and pins inserted in his foot and ankle during emergency surgery.
Woods later said doctors considered amputation.
Following the accident, Woods began a rehabilitation process that included three months in a hospital-type bed in his 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 at the time said that he was asleep and "had to be woken up." Woods was later released on his own recognisance.
Woods shared a statement after the incident apologising to his family, friends and fans.
Trump feels 'so badly' for Woods
Donald Trump said he feels "so badly" after hearing about Woods' latest crash.
The US president hailed the 50-year-old as a "very close friend of mine" but said he didn't want to talk about the collision.
"I feel so badly," he said. "He's got some difficulty. There was an accident, and that's all I know.
"Very close friend of mine. He's an amazing person.
"Amazing man. But, some difficulty. I don't want to talk about it."
On Thursday, Trump claimed Woods will not play at the Masters but that he will be there to watch, despite the golfer saying only days ago that he'll he'll be trying everything to play at the tournament where he has a lifetime eligibility.
After recovering from back surgery last October, months after rupturing his Achilles tendon, Woods, 50, 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 programme The Five, Trump stated: "I love Tiger, but he won't be there. He'll be there, but he won't be playing in it."
The five-time Masters winner indicated he remained hopeful of competing, stating he is "trying" to participate despite ongoing physical challenges.
"I've been trying. It's just this body doesn't recover like when I was 24, 25," Woods said.
"It doesn't mean I'm not trying - I've been trying for a while."
In 2000-2001, Woods became the only player to win all four majors in succession.
The last time Woods won a major was in 2019, at the Masters.
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