Tiger Woods had pills in his pocket, claimed to be using his phone and radio before car crash, police say
Mike Schneider
Orlando, Florida: When interviewed at the scene of a car crash in Florida last week, Tiger Woods’ eyes were bloodshot and glassy, his pupils dilated and he had hydrocodone pills in his pocket, according to a sheriff’s office report.
According to the incident report released Tuesday by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Woods’ movements were slow and lethargic; He was sweating as he spoke to deputies, telling them he had taken prescription medication in the wee hours of the morning.
Deputies found two white pills in his pocket, determined to be hydrocodone, the opioid used to treat pain, the report said.
When asked by a deputy if he takes any prescription drugs, Woods said, “I take a few.”
The report said Woods told deputies he was looking at his phone and fiddling with the radio before a truck crashed in front of him.
The golfer was traveling at high speeds along the beachfront on a Jupiter Island residential road when his Land Rover crashed into a truck and ended up on its side, according to the sheriff’s office, which said Woods showed signs of injury.
According to the sheriff’s report, the truck had $5,000 in damage.
While the truck driver and another person helped Woods out of his vehicle, the golfer had to get out from the passenger side. Neither Woods nor the truck driver were injured.
During a field sobriety test, deputies noticed Woods was limping and had a compression stocking on his right knee. The golfer revealed that he has had seven back surgeries and more than 20 leg surgeries, and his ankle is stiff when he walks.
The report stated that Woods, who was sobbing during questioning, repeatedly moved his head during one of the sobriety tests, and deputies had to instruct him several times to keep his head up.
“Based on my observations of Woods, how he performed the exercises, and my training, knowledge, and experience, I believed that Woods’ normal abilities were impaired and he was unable to operate a motor vehicle safely,” the deputy wrote after the tests.
Authorities said Woods agreed to a Breathalyzer test, which showed no signs of alcohol, but refused a urine test. He was arrested and released on bail eight hours later.
Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent at Excel Sports, did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment. No one from Woods’ camp or the PGA Tour — he sits on the board and is chairman of the committee that is reshaping the competition model — has commented since his arrest.
Woods, who has been involved in other accidents over the years, is accused of drunk driving, property damage and refusing to submit to a legal inspection. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 23. Online court records do not list an attorney for him.
Under a change in Florida law last year, refusing a law enforcement officer’s request to take a breath, blood or urine test became a misdemeanor, even on a first offense.
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