Tiger Woods was looking at phone, showed ‘signs of impairment’ at the time of rollover, police say
Tiger Woods Was Looking at Phone, Showed ‘Signs of Impairment’ at Time of Rollover, Police Say
Authorities have stated that Tiger Woods, 50, was operating his vehicle while engrossed in his phone when he collided with a trailer, leading to a rollover accident on Friday. The incident report indicated that the golfer exhibited “signs of impairment” and had opioid pain pills in his possession. Woods was subsequently arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
According to the sheriff’s office, the driver of a truck involved in the crash reported seeing Woods traveling at high speed as he initiated a turn into a driveway on Jupiter Island. Woods’ Land Rover overtook the truck at the last moment, attempted a maneuver to avoid impact, but ended up hitting the trailer. Surveillance footage from the scene captured the SUV lying on its side, and Woods exited through a window before being taken into custody.
“I’d love to talk about it, but I can’t,” said Ricky Bullard, the father of Jeromy Bullard, whose truck was damaged. “I think everything’s OK.”
The truck, owned by 43-year-old Jeromy Bullard, suffered approximately $5,000 in damage to its rear left fender and the trailer’s wheel. During the incident, Woods told a deputy he had glanced at his phone and failed to notice the truck had slowed. He claimed he was returning home from his residence.
The report detailed that the deputy observed multiple indicators of impairment during their conversation and requested a second officer to probe for DUI. Woods displayed bloodshot, glassy eyes with severely dilated pupils. His movements were described as sluggish, and he was sweating heavily despite the air-conditioned environment of the vehicle. He struggled with the field sobriety test, including an exercise where he limped and swayed to the right.
Woods revealed he had undergone several surgeries on his back and leg, and that his ankle occasionally becomes unstable when walking. He denied consuming alcohol but mentioned taking a few prescription medications earlier in the morning. Two white pills identified as hydrocodone were found in his pocket, a pain-relief medication.
Woods submitted to a breath test at the jail but refused a urine test. He was seen leaving the facility late Friday night on video. In 2017, he faced a DUI charge in Florida and sought treatment for his medication use. A separate incident in 2021 saw him severely injured after his car struck a tree and flipped in California, though no impairment was noted at the time, and he was not charged.
Minyvonne Burke is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. Matt Lavietes is a reporter for NBC News. George Solis is a national correspondent with NBC News.