Plea Deal Announced
Tiger Woods will have his driver's license suspended for five years and pay $1,500 in fines as part of a plea deal reached at a hearing on Sept. 2 at the Martin County Courthouse in Stuart, Florida. Woods pleaded no contest to the reduced charge of reckless, willful driving and to refusing to submit to a sobriety test, according to reports from the Gainesville Sun and Naples Daily News. The no-contest plea means Woods accepted the punishment without formally admitting guilt.
The DUI charge against Woods was reduced to reckless driving following a March 27 crash on Jupiter Island. In exchange for the plea, the DUI charge was dropped, as reported by Yardbarker. The two five-year license suspensions—one for the reckless driving charge and one for refusing the sobriety test—will be served concurrently, meaning Woods will serve a total of five years without a license.
The Crash and Arrest
Woods was arrested on March 27 on charges of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a DUI test after his SUV rolled over following a two-vehicle crash on South Beach Road, near his Jupiter Island home. Police at the scene suspected Woods was driving under the influence and impaired when he clipped a truck and rolled his vehicle, according to Yardbarker. Woods and the driver of the other vehicle were uninjured.
Deputies said Woods told them he was looking down at his phone and changing the radio station when he hit the truck. Officers reported finding two pain-killing pills in Woods' pocket at the scene, and investigators determined Woods' normal faculties were impaired, as reported by the Gainesville Sun and Naples Daily News. The impairment was attributed to his prescription medication, which Woods told investigators he had taken.
Woods was released from jail eight hours after his arrest after posting a $1,150 bond. He was also issued a traffic citation for careless driving, which carries a $163 civil penalty.
The Judge's Warning
During the hearing, Judge Darren Steele warned Woods that he would face jail time if caught driving during his suspension. "There are no exceptions. If you were to drive for any reason ... you go immediately back to jail," Steele said, as quoted by Yardbarker. The judge emphasized that the driving ban was strict and required Woods to comply fully.
Woods' Legal Representation and Prior DUI Case
Woods was represented by attorney Douglas Duncan, who initially entered a not-guilty plea in the DUI case. Duncan filed notice of the change of plea hearing on Tuesday, and Woods appeared in person on Wednesday. Duncan had previously represented Woods in a 2017 DUI case in which charges were reduced to reckless driving.
Duncan also successfully lobbied Steele in April to allow Woods to travel outside the country for "comprehensive inpatient treatment" after his March arrest, as reported by Yardbarker.
Courtroom Appearance
Woods arrived at the courthouse in a black SUV, accompanied by his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump , according to the Gainesville Sun and Naples Daily News. Woods sat in the front row next to Duncan, with Vanessa Trump seated one row behind. Woods left the courthouse without commenting.
Background
Woods, 50, had pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test in his initial court hearing. The plea deal comes after a status hearing was scheduled for Sept. 8, which was rendered unnecessary by the plea.