Tiger Woods was arrested and charged with a DUI on March 27, 2026, after a rollover car crash in Jupiter Island, Florida, that left his Land Rover overturned on a two-lane road.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a press conference that Woods was charged with driving under the influence, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test after he refused a uranalysis. The crash occurred just after 2 p.m. local time. No injuries were reported.
The golf legend was released from police custody nearly eight hours after he was booked, per Florida law.
Keep scrolling to learn more about the incident:
How the Crash Unfolded
During a March 2026 press conference, Sheriff John Budensiek described what authorities believe led to the accident. Authorities responded to a call of a rollover crash just before 2 p.m. and found a pickup truck pulling a pressure cleaner trailer and a Land Rover that had rolled over on its driver’s side door.
“The driver of [the pickup truck] looked in his mirror and saw a dark colored Land Rover overtaking him at high speeds,” Budensiek said, without revealing the exact speed of the vehicle. “He tried to edge off to the side of the road, but this is a small two-lane road and there was no shoulder for this pressure cleaner gentleman to get off the side of the road. As he was trying to move to the side of the road, the Land Rover overtook him at the last minute, swerved to avoid a collision, but clipped the back end of the trailer.”
A picture taken by WPTV at the scene showed the Land Rover flipped on its side, while other images of the crash scene show the vehicle overturned and resting vertically on the side of the road with visible structural damage.
Tiger Woods had been driving the Land Rover and, according to Budensiek, was able to crawl out through the passenger’s side window without injury.
The DUI Charges
After authorities on scene believed Tiger Woods might be impaired, DUI investigators were called to assess the golfer.
“Our DUI investigators came to the scene here. Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment,” Sheriff John Budensiek said in a March 2026 press conference. “They did several tests. He did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account.”
The sheriff continued, “Mr. Woods did a breathalyzer test with triple zeros, but when it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused, so he’s been charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.”
The breathalyzer result of triple zeros suggested Woods was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
“We know we arrested a high profile figure … but it doesn’t matter who you are. If you break the law, we’re going to follow the law. That’s a really easy path to take,” Budensiek added of arresting Woods.
Mugshot, Jail Time and Release
An image of Tiger Woods’ mugshot was released the same day as his March 2026 arrest, showing the golfer dressed in a blue shirt and staring at the camera with a serious, if somewhat blank, expression.
Sheriff John Budensiek, meanwhile, addressed how Woods was treated in custody during his press conference.
“As far as him being in the jail, we’re going to make sure he’s safe. We’re not going to put him in general population,” the police officer said. “He’s not going to be with other inmates that can hurt him or try to capitalize on what he did. He’ll pay the price but he’s not going to pay the price by getting punished in jail.”
Woods spent roughly eight hours at Martin County Jail, per Florida statute, and was released around 11 p.m. ET that evening. The golf pro was later spotted looking disheveled in the passenger seat of a black SUV, wearing the same blue polo shirt seen in his mugshot. Woods has not publicly addressed his arrest or car accident.
A History of Car Accidents
Tiger Woods previously suffered significant leg injuries in a one-car crash in Southern California in February 2021, resulting in a shattered ankle and two leg fractures. At the time investigators said there was no reason to believe Woods had been operating the vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. Instead, the athlete crashed while driving at an “unsafe speed for road conditions,” according to a police report.
“I understand more of the rehab processes because of my past injuries, but this was more painful than anything I have ever experienced,” he told Golf Digest in May 2021 while recovering. “My physical therapy has been keeping me busy. I do my routines every day and am focused on my No. 1 goal right now: walking on my own. Taking it one step at a time.”
Woods was also arrested under suspicion of DUI in 2017 during a traffic stop in Florida. The golfer was discovered asleep behind the wheel, with Vicodin, Xanax and other drugs in his system. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving and entered a diversion program for first-time DUI offenders.)
President Donald Trump Responds to Tiger Woods’ Arrest
President Donald Trump addressed the incident within hours, offering sympathy for Tiger Woods, whom he called a “very close friend.”
“I feel so bad. He’s got some difficulty,” Trump told reporters in March 2026. “There was an accident, and that’s all I know. A very close friend of mine, he’s an amazing person, an amazing man. But some difficulty. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Trump was later rumored to consider offering Woods a pardon to compete in the upcoming Masters tournament, according to a viral post on social media. It was quickly revealed that the alleged statement was fake.
Trump and Woods have played golf together in the past, and the U.S. president honored Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 during his first term in office.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
Read the full article here
