Tiger Woods pleaded no contest to a reduced reckless-driving charge in Stuart, Florida, on Wednesday, ending a criminal case arising from a March rollover crash near his Jupiter Island home. The 50-year-old golfer accepted a five-year suspension of his driver's license, while prosecutors dropped the original allegation of driving under the influence, according to the Associated Press and court documents cited by ABC News and CBS News.
Woods had initially pleaded not guilty to DUI with property damage and to refusing a lawful test. Authorities said his sport utility vehicle clipped a truck and rolled onto its side on a residential road with a 30 mph speed limit. The incident report put the damage to the truck at about $5,000, and Woods was alone in his vehicle when deputies arrested him.
The sheriff's report said deputies found two pain pills in Woods's pocket and observed signs they considered consistent with impairment. A breath test detected no alcohol, but Woods declined a requested urine test. The state attorney said two toxicologists concluded that the available evidence could not sufficiently prove impairment and noted that Woods had developed a pharmacological tolerance, the AP reported.
Under the agreement, prosecutors amended the principal count to reckless driving and treated the testing-refusal count as a lesser traffic matter. The concurrent license suspensions total five years, and court records cited by the AP show that Woods also received a $1,500 fine. The judge warned that driving during the suspension would return him immediately to jail.
Woods appeared with Vanessa Trump and spoke only briefly while accepting the resolution. He left without addressing reporters, and his attorney did not immediately respond to the AP's request for comment. State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl defended the agreement, saying the evidentiary difficulties made the original DUI accusation especially hard to prove and that he believed the negotiated result was appropriate.
The case adds another disruption to the career of one of golf's most influential players. Woods has won 15 major championships, including the 2019 Masters, but repeated back and knee operations and serious vehicle crashes have sharply limited his competition schedule. Wednesday's plea closes the criminal proceeding, while the five-year driving ban and the possibility of jail for any violation remain in force.
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