Tiger Woods strikes plea deal in Florida DUI case, gets 5-year license suspension

In March, Woods' Land Rover clipped a truck, rolled onto its side and the golfer was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, officials said.

Tiger Woods has reached a plea agreement in his DUI case stemming from a rollover crash in Florida, which includes a five-year license suspension plus fees and fines.

Woods was in court Wednesday for a plea conference hearing. Under the terms of the agreement with prosecutors, Woods pled no contest to charges of reckless driving and refusing to submit to testing and received two five-year license suspensions that the judge said will be served concurrently. He was also ordered to pay fees and court costs.

In March, Woods' Land Rover clipped a truck, rolled onto its side and the legendary golfer was arrested, officials said. Woods pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence in the case in Martin County circuit court, just north of Palm Beach County.

Woods was traveling at high speeds on a beachside residential road on Jupiter Island with a 30 mph (nearly 50 kph) speed limit when his Land Rover caused $5,000 in damage to the truck, according to an incident report. He managed to crawl out of the vehicle without any injuries and told a deputy that he was looking down at his phone and changing the radio station when he hit the truck.

Woods agreed to a Breathalyzer test that showed no signs of alcohol, but refused a urine test, authorities said. A sheriff’s office report said deputies found two pain pills in his pocket, and he showed signs of impairment.

Woods has traveled outside of the United States to seek treatment at an inpatient treatment facility, according to court records.

In July, Judge Darren Steele approved an agreement in which prosecutors were allowed to review medical records related to Woods’ crash and arrest. The judge signed off on a similar agreement in May that grants prosecutors access to all prescription medication records for Woods at a Palm Beach pharmacy from the start of the year through the end of March.

Woods, 50, is among the most influential figures in golf and is as recognizable as any athlete in the world. The first person of Black heritage to win the Masters in 1997, he has captivated golf fans with records likely never to be broken.

But his career has been derailed by multiple back and knee surgeries, car accidents and pain pill dependence.

Woods has been involved in four crashes over the years. In 2021, he survived a crash in Los Angeles that damaged his right leg so badly he said doctors considered amputation. In 2009, his SUV plowed into a fire hydrant and tree outside his home near Orlando, Florida.

He took a leave from the golf tour after the 2009 accident and again after the latest crash and has yet to return to tournament play.

Woods made his first public appearance since returning from treatment on June 23 when he introduced the PGA Tour’s plans to revamp its schedule for 2028. Woods remained as chairman of the tour's Future Competition Committee after his arrest. He did not take questions in that appearance.

___

Associated Press writer Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.